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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



1. What is History 1 

A recital of what has happened respecting nations and 
countries. 

2. What are the generally accepted divisions of history ? 
Ancient and Modern, with subdivisions of Sacred and 

Profane. 

3. What is (a) Ancient history? (b) Modern? (c) Sacred? 
(d) Profane ? 

An account of events («) from the creation of the world 
to the birth of Christ; {b) from the birth of Christ to the 
present time ; {c) the contents of the Holy Scriptures ; 
{d) any history not regarded as inspired. 

4. What are the great events of ancient history ? 

The rise and fall of the four great empires: Assyria, 
Persia, Greece and Rome. 

5. For what is modern history distinguished ? 

Great inventions and discoveries, the advancement of 
the arts of peace, the improvement of civil government, 
and the spread of civilization to all parts of the earth. 

6. How was America first settled ? 

It is still a matter of conjecture ; but probably the first 

5 



6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

visitors from the Old World came from Asia by way of 
Bering Strait, or on Pacific coasting vessels driven by 
storms across the ocean and shipwrecked on the shores 
of our continent. 

7. What proofs show that America was inhabited by a 
race of men previous to the Indians ? 

In Mexico, Central America and South America there 
are remains of temples, bridges, aqueducts and of ancient 
cities, indicative of a high state of civilization, the In- 
dians having no traditions of their origin. Thousands of 
curiously constructed earth mounds, which are scattered 
through the Mississippi River Valley, from the Gulf of Mex- 
ico to the Great Lakes, bear evidence that a different race 
from the Indians inhabited this continent before them. 

8. Were these earlier inhabita?its all of one race 2 

The relics found in the mounds indicate that their build- 
ers were not of the same order of civilization as is repre- 
sented in the Mexican and Peruvian ruins. 

9. Why should we suppose that the Indians were a dis- 
tinct race of men from those of this prehistoric time 1 

The natural instincts of the Indians are opposed to im- 
provement in the arts and sciences. For the three hundred 
years that their habits have been studied, they have always 
gloried in war and the chase, living where fish and game 
abound, and content with rude dwellings instead of pro- 
ducing any permanent or high-class architecture. The 
mound relics, also, are of types which have not survived, 
but which would have done so if they had entered into the 
lives of so conservative a race as the Indians. 

ID. What records show that America was discovered pre- 
vious to its discovery by Columbus ? 

The historical records of Iceland assert that America was 
discovered by the Northmen in 1002. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. y 

1 1. Who were the Northmen ? 

The inhabitants of Norway and Sweden were so called. 

12. What lands did they discover and what evidences exist 
of their explorations 1 Were their discoveHes of any benefit ? 

Their records, or traditions, describe the entire Atlantic 
coast; and the old tower at Newport, R.I., the inscriptions 
on the rocks at Dighton, Mass., and minor other relics are 
evidences of their claims. But no benefits arose from their 
discoveries, as the voyages were discontinued and the new 
country apparently forgotten. 

13. Into how many chief epochs can the history of the 
United States be divided 1 

Six: First, from the discovery of the continent to the 
first settlement; second, from the first settlement to the 
outbreak of the Revolutionary war; third, from the be- 
ginning of this war to the adoption of the Constitution; 
fourth, from the adoption of the Constitution to the com- 
mencement of the civil war ; fifth, from this to the sur- 
render of Lee's army ; and sixth, from the close of the 
civil war to the present day. 

14. What idea led to the discovery of America by Colum- 
bus ? What results were sought 1 

That the earth was a sphere, and upon this belief Colum- 
bus attempted to find a westward route to India. 

15. What land did Columbus first discover, and when ? 
The island of Guanahani or San Salvador, on Friday, Oc- 
tober 12, 1492. This is a much disputed point, however. 

16. Give some account of Columbus'' s trials and his final 
success. 

Columbus, being too poor to fit out an expedition, ap- 
plied in vain to his own countrymen for aid, and then to 
the king of Portugal. He next turned to Spain, and in 
the meantime sent his brother to England, but his appeals 



8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

were laughed at, the very children mocking him as he passed 
in the streets. Eighteen years passed thus, seven of them 
in waiting for the answer of King Ferdinand of Spain. 
Saddened by his continued failures, he was leaving Spain, 
begging a little food at convent doors, and resolving to 
apply to the king of France. At a lonely mountain pass 
he was overtaken by a messenger from Queen Isabella, 
asking him to return. Urged by a desire to spread the 
Catholic faith throughout the world, and to see Spain the 
mistress of lands in Asia, the queen had changed her mind. 
To the objections of Ferdinand she answered : " I under- 
take the enterprise for my crown of Castile, and will pledge 
my jewels to raise the necessary funds." 

17. How many vessels composed his first fleet 7 When did 
they sail? 

Three : the Pinta, the Santa Maria and the Nina. They 
sailed from Palos, Spain, August 3, 1492. 

18. (a) Where and when did Columbus discover the main- 
land! (b) How many voyages did he make? 

{a) At the mouth of the Orinoco River, in 1498. {b) Four. 

19. Who discovered the mainland before Columbus? 
Where ? When ? 

John Cabot and his son Sebastian. The coast of Lab- 
rador. 1497- 

20. Why was the continent named America instead of 
Columbia ? 

A German, who published a description of the New World, 
suggested that it should be called America in honor of Amer- 
icus Vespucius, who made claims to the first discoveries. 

2 1 . What reward did Columbus receive for his discoveries ? 
Where was he buried? 

Others were jealous of his successes, and accused him ot 
treason to the Spanish government. He was laden with 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. g 

chains and brought home a prisoner, and died without re- 
ward, broken-hearted. He was buried at Valladolid, Spain, 
where his body remained until 1513; it was then trans- 
ported to Seville; in 1536 it was removed to the city of 
San Domingo ; in 1 796 it found a resting-place in the 
cathedral at Havana, whence, however, it was in 1899 re- 
moved to Spain. 

22. What nations explored the country now known as the 
United States ? 

The Spaniards, English, French and Dutch, 

23. Where did the Spaniards make their claims^ The 
French ? The English 1 The Dutch ? 

The Spaniards in the West Indies and the southern part 
of the United States ; the French in the northern part of 
the United States and in Canada, having explored the Great 
Lakes, the Mississippi River from the Falls of St. Anthony 
to the Gulf, the Illinois, Wisconsin, Wabash, Maumee, Fox, 
and many other rivers ; the English on the Atlantic coast 
at various points, which they named Virginia ; the Dutch 
in New York, which they called the New Netherlands. 

24. Name the most important Spanish discoverers and 
explorers. 

Columbus, Vespucci, De Leon, Balboa, Grijalvah, De 
Ayllon, De Narvaez, Magellan, De Soto and Melendez. 

25. What induced Ponce de Leon to come to the New 
World! Where were his discoveries ? 

He was a Spanish soldier, who, being in disgrace, sought 
the glory of conquest to restore his tarnished reputation. 
He also went in search of a fountain, whose waters were 
supposed to restore youth to all who drank of them. He 
discovered Florida in 1512. 

26. What discovery was made by Vasco de Balboa 1 

He crossed the isthmus of Panama, and from the summit 
of the Andes first saw the Pacific Ocean, September 26, 1 5 13, 



lO COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

27. What was the object of De Narvaez's explorations f 
Receiving a grant of Florida in 1528, he attempted its 

conquest with 300 men, allured by the prospect of gold. 
The exploration proved a failure. Many perished while 
wandering in the swamps. After arriving at the Gulf of 
Mexico, his men hurriedly constructed boats and put to 
sea ; but were shipwrecked, and De Narvaez was lost. Six 
years afterward four survivors reached the Spanish settle- 
ments on the Pacific coast. 

28. What of Ferdinand de Soto and his explorations / 
De Soto was a Spanish nobleman, who invaded Florida 

in 1539, seeking gold. He discovered the Mississippi 
River in 1541, and was buried in its waters when he died 
the next year. 

29. When and by whom was the coast of Mexico discovered 1 
By Grijalvah in 1518. 

30. Give an account of the expeditions of Pedro Melendez. 
Of De Ay lion. Of Magellan. 

Melendez was sent out by Philip II in 1565 to colonize 
Florida, but more particularly to destroy a colony of 
French Huguenots, who the year before had made a settle- 
ment near the mouth of the St. John's River. On being 
attacked the Huguenots put to sea in their vessels, but a 
furious storm destroyed their fleet, and they were washed 
ashore, where Melendez brutally butchered all who came 
near him. Only a few escaped. 

In 1520 Vasquez de Ayllon, a wealthy Spaniard, under- 
took an expedition to America, and, landing on the present 
coast of South Carolina, decoyed a number of natives on 
board his fleet and sailed for home, intending to sell them 
in Europe as slaves ; but three of his vessels were wrecked 
and most of the Indians were drowned. On reaching home 
he was honorably received by his government and sent on 
another kidnapping expedition, but it proved unsuccessfulf 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. II 

and he was financially ruined. This attempt to enslave the 
Indians caused them to lose all confidence in Spanish honor. 
Magellan was the first European navigator to venture on 
the Pacific, and the first to sail round the world. This_ 
voyage took nearly three years, beginning in 15 19. The 
Pacific was so named by Magellan on account of its peace- 
ful appearance. 

3 1 . When, where, and by whom was the first colony founded 
on the Americafi continent ? 

In 1 5 10, at Darien, by the Spaniards. 

32. When, where, and by whom was the first permanent 
settlement made in the United States ? The second 'i 

In 1565, at St. Augustine, by Melendez. The second 
also was founded by the Spaniards at Santa Fe in 1582. 

33. What parts of the New World were explored by the 
Spaniards ? 

Central America, Mexico, Peru, Florida, the Mississippi 
Valley, New Mexico and the coast of California. 

34. Who first attempted to form English settlements in 
America ? 

Sir Walter Raleigh and his half-brother. Sir Humphrey 
Gilbert. Their labors were unsuccessful, and the latter 
was drowned on the return voyage. 

35. When and where was the first permanent English 
settlement made in the United States ? 

In 1607, at Jamestown, Virginia. 

36. Who sent out the settlers to Jamestown 1 

The London Company, composed of noblemen, gentle- 
men, and merchants of London. 

37. What territory was granted to the London Company 1 
All the country between the southern limit of Marylstnd 

and Cape Fear. 



12 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

38. How many charters had the London Company ? 
Three. The first charter contained no suggestion of 

self-government. The people chose none of their officers ; 
the king was to appoint two councils, one to reside in Lon- 
don and have control of all the colonies, and the other to 
reside in the colonies and have control of their local affairs. 
The second charter vested the authority in a governor in- 
stead of a local council ; it gave the colonists no additional 
rights, nor were they consulted with regard to the change. 
The third charter gave to the stockholders the power to 
regulate the affairs of the company. 

39. Name the most important French discoverers. What 
sections did they explore ? 

Verrazani and Cartier. Verrazani was sent out by the 
French king in 1524. He first touched the coast of North 
Carolina, and then sailed north to Newfoundland, having 
entered the harbors of New York and Newport. In 1534, 
James Cartier discovered and explored the Gulf and River 
of St. Lawrence. 

40. Who were the most important English discoverers and 
explorers ? 

The Cabots, Sir Francis Drake, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, 
Sir Walter Raleigh and Bartholomew Gosnold. 

41. Of whom was the Plymouth Company composed! 
What territory was granted them ? 

It was composed of persons from Plymouth, England. 
The grant was that tract of country lying between the 
forty-first and forty-fifth degrees of latitude, and was called 
North Virginia. 

42. Who were the first Spanish, French, English and 
Dutch discoverers ? 

Columbus was the first discoverer under Spanish auspices, 
John Verrazani the first under French, John Cabot the 
first under English, and Hudson the first under Dutch. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



13 



43. Where and when was the first permaneni settlement 
made by the Dutch ? By the French ? 

By the Dutch at New York in 161 3. By the French at 
Port Royal, N.S., in 1605. 

44. Where and when was the first ivhite child of English 
parents born in America ? What was her name ? 

At the temporary settlement on Roanoke Island in 1587. 
Virginia Dare. 

45. What region of country was called Acadia ? 

The tract lying between the present cities of Philadelphia 
and Montreal. The name has since been confined to New 
Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the adjacent islands. 

46. What can be said of Sir Francis Drake ? 

He was an English sea captain, who explored the coast 
of California and Oregon in 1579, and returned home by 
the way of the Cape of Good Hope, having made the second 
circumnavigation of the world. 

47. Why did Raleigh name the lands he explored Virginia ? 
In honor of Elizabeth, who was called the Virgin Queen. 

48. Who was Champlain 1 

The pioneer who in 1609 discovered Lakes Champlain 
and Huron. He afterward led a party of Canadian In- 
dians against the Iroquois, in northern New York, being 
the first white man to enter that region. 

49. Who were the fesuit missionaries 1 

French priests, who sought to convert the Indians to the 
Roman Catholic faith. They were the explorers of the 
Mississippi Valley. In 1668 they founded the mission of 
St. Mary, the oldest European settlement in Michigan. 

50. Who were the first partial explorers of the Mississippi 
and its branches ? 

Joliet and Marquette. 



14 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

51. Who were La Salle and Father Hennepin ? 

Jesuit missionaries, and early explorers of the northern 
lakes and rivers. 

52. Who discovered the Hudson River ? 

Henry Hudson, an Englishman in the service of the 
Dutch government, in 1609? He sailed up the river to 
where the city of Hudson now stands. 

53. What was the object of Hudson's explorations ? 
To find a northern passage to the East Indies. 

54. What is said of the fate of Hudson 1 

In 1 6 10, after discovering the strait and bay which beai 
his name, he was placed in an open boat with six sailors 
by some malcontent companions and abandoned. 

55. Who claimed the New Netherlands / 
The English and the Dutch. 

56. On what grounds did they base their respective claims ? 
The English upon the discoveries of the Cabots, and the 

Dutch upon the explorations of Hudson. 

57. How was the dispute settled 1 

By force of arms ; the English maintained possession. 

58. At the close of the sixteenth century, where were the 
only permanent settlements ? 

At St. Augustine and Santa Fe. 

59. Name five of the first permanent settlements in the 
New World, at the beginning of the seventeenth century. 

Port Royal, N.S., in 1605, by the French; Jamestown, 
in 1607, by the English; Quebec, in 1608, by the French; 
New York, in 1613, by the Dutch; and Plymouth, in 1620, 
by the English Pilgrims. 

60. Who were the Pilgrims 2 

They were dissenters from the Church of England, who, 



UNITED STATES HISTORY, 



15 



in order to worship in accordance with their conscience, first 
soug,ht refuge in Holland ; but, believing in the future 
prosperity of the New World, they decided to face all hard- 
ships and found a colony there. They landed at Plymouth, 
December 21, 1620. This was the first settlement founded 
in Massachusetts. 

61. How many came on the first voyage 1 

One hundred and two. They came in a vessel called the 

Mayflower. 

62. Who was their first governor J 
John Carver. 

63. Was the colony prosperous ? 

Nearly half its members died during the first four 
months, and all would have perished but for the aid of 
fishermen off the coast. Their sufferings continued four 
years, after which they prospered. 

64. Who was Roger Williams 7 

A Puritan of the Massachusetts Bay colony, who was 
banished thence for his unpopular religious opinions. He 
afterward founded the first settlement in Rhode Island. 
This was in 1636. 

65. How did the Puritans treat the Quakers ? 

They banished the Quakers from Massachusetts, im- 
prisoned many, and put four to death. 

66. Who was Mrs. Anne Hutchinson ? 

A woman who, during the year in which Roger Williams 
was banished, declared that she had special revelations 
from God, and with great fluency of speech expounded 
them to crowded congregations of women, causing much 
disturbance among the clergy and people of Boston. She 
was finally banished. 

67. What were the United Colonies of New England "^ 
The colonies collectively of Massachusetts Bay, Ply 



l6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

mouth, New Haven and Connecticut which in 1643 were 
united under one government. 

68. What was the object of this league 1 

To protect its members against the Indians and the en 
croachments of the French and Dutch. 

69. Why was Providence^ Rhode Island, so named 1 
Because Roger Williams, having just escaped from the 

Puritans, was grateful for the tract (now Rhode Island) 
given to him by Canonicus, the Narragansett Indian chief, 
and compared it to a "gift of Providence." 

70. When and by what nation was ?iegro slavery intro- 
duced into the United States 1 

In 1619, by the Dutch. 

71. Who was Captain John Smith 7 

One of the founders of Jamestown, who, as governor, 
conducted the affairs of the colony with great energy and 
success. 

72. Who were Pocahontas and Powhatan 1 

Pocahontas was the daughter of the Indian chief, Pow- 
hatan. She saved the life of Capt. John Smith, who had 
been sentenced to death by her father. 

73. What became of Pocahontas 1 

She married, in 161 3, a young English planter, John 
Rolfe. Three years later when visiting London she was 
taken sick and died, leaving an infant son, whose descend- 
ants include some of the leading families of Virginia. 

74. When did the first English women come to Americal 
In 1608, to Jamestown, as wives for the settlers. 

75. What valuable plants were discovered in America ? 
Indian corn, potatoes and tobacco. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



17 



76. When was the first Indian plot to massacre the 
English ? 

In 1609, but the massacre was prevented by Pocahontas, 
who revealed the plot to the people of Jamestown. 

77. When was the first massacre in Virginia? The second? 
In 1622, when in one hour 347 men, women and children 

were massacred. The second was in 1644, when 300 were 
killed ; this plot was originated by Opechancanough, and 
was intended to exterminate the English settlers. 

78. Who was Nathaniel Bacon ? What was the cause 
of Bacon's rebellion ? 

A patriotic young lawyer, who rallied a company and de- 
fended the settlements against the Indians ; he was de- 
nounced by Governor Berkeley as a traitor for acting with- 
out orders. During the contest which followed, Berkeley 
was driven out of Jamestown, and the village partially 
burned. In the midst of this struggle Bacon died. 

79. When and where was the first Colonial Assembly ? 

June 28, 1619, at Jamestown. It consisted of the gover- 
nor, council and deputies, or "burgesses," chosen from the 
various plantations. 

80. Who was King Philip ? 

King Philip was an Indian chief, the son of Massasoit, 
who, becoming jealous of the intrusion of the whites, 
planned a confederation of the Indian tribes against these 
intruders. 

81. When was King Philip's warl 

The war began in 1675, continuing about one year. 
King Philip was shot by an Indian, an ally of the English, 
in 1676. 

82. What were the Navigation Acts 1 

In 1660 the British Parliament ordered that the com- 
merce of the colonies should be carried on in English 



l8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

vessels, and their tobacco and all other products shipped 
to England. In fact, American manufactures were pro- 
hibited, and nothing allowed to be done that would enter 
into competition with the people of England. 

83. What was the effect of these laws ? 

These laws bore very heavily on the people, causing 
great discontent, and were one of the causes which led to 
the Revolution. 

84. Were the Navigation Acts observed in Massachusetts 2 

No. An officer was sent to enforce them, but without 
success. Charles II seized upon the excuse thus offered, 
and made Massachusetts a royal province. The king died 
before his plan was completed, but James II, in 1686, de- 
clared the charters of all the New England colonies forfeited. 

85. Who was Sir Edniond Andros 1 

The first royal governor of New England. He was sent 
by James II. The colonies endured his oppressions for 
three years, when, learning that his royal master was de- 
throned, they revolted and imprisoned him. 

86. From what was derived the appellation of Charter 
Oak? 

When James II declared that the charters of all the New 
England colonies were forfeited, Connecticut refused to 
surrender hers. Governor Andros demanded the charter 
of the assembly then in session at Hartford, and during the 
debate which ensued the lights were suddenly extinguished, 
and the charter was seized by William Wadsworth and 
hidden in the hollow of an old oak, which since that time 
has been called the Charter Oak. 

87. Who was Sir William Phippsi 

The second royal governor of Massachusetts, or a pro- 
vince embracing Massachusetts, Maine and Nova Scotia. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



19 



88. What were the results of the so-called *' Salem witch- 
craft" 1 

A superstition prevailed that persons were subject to the 
control of invisible evil spirits, and it is estimated that 
some 200 persons were accused, 150 imprisoned, 28 con- 
demned, 19 hanged, and one pressed to death. 

89. What was the cause of the Pequot war ? How did it 
end? 

The Indians had become troublesome and dangerous to 
the early settlers of Connecticut, who resolved to make war 
upon the Pequots. A battle took place at Mystic River, 
where the tribe was nearly annihilated ; those Indians who 
were not killed were captured and made slaves, or escaped 
and joined other tribes. 

90. What name did the Dutch give their colony on Man- 
hattan Island? 

New Amsterdam. 

91. How was this island obtained? 

It was purchased of the Indians for about ^24. 

92. Give a short history of the early government of New 
York. 

After the discovery of the Hudson River, the West In- 
dia Company obtained of the Dutch government a grant 
of New Netherlands, and settlements were made at New 
Amsterdam and Fort Orange, now the city of Albany. For 
twenty years New York was subject to Indian butcheries, 
varied by difficulties with the Swedes on the Delaware and 
the English on the Connecticut. In September, 1664, an 
English fleet came to anchor in the harbor of New Amster- 
dam, and demanded the surrender of the town. Peter 
Stuyvesant, the last and ablest of the four Dutch governors, 
plead with the council to fight, but in vain. They wished 
for English rule. The surrender was signed, and the 



20 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

colony was named New York. The English governors did 
not satisfy the people, so that when, after nine years of 
English rule, a Dutch fleet appeared in the harbor, the 
people went back quietly under their old rulers. The next 
year peace was declared between England and Holland, 
and New Amsterdam became New York again. Andros 
now became governor, and New York remained a royal pro- 
vince until the Revolution. 

93. When and by whom was Connecticut settled ? 

In 1636, by a company of persons from Massachusetts, 
with their minister, Mr. Hooker. Their settlements were 
at Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield. 

94. By whom was the first settlement in New Hampshire 
made ? 

By the Rev. Mr. Wheelwright and a few followers, who 
were also banished from Massachusetts on account of their 
religion. 

95. Who made the first settlement in Maine ? 
Ferdinand Gorges, in 1636. 

96. From what did its early colonists greatly suffer i 
From the hostilities of the Indians. 

97. Why were the Indians so hostile and barbarous ? 
Because of the treachery of the early explorers, several 

attempts being made by the whites to kidnap Indians and 
take them to Europe as slaves. The Indians sought ven- 
geance. 

98. When and by whom was Philadelphia foundedi 

In 1683 William Penn purchased the land of the Swedes, 
The name, derived from two Greek words, signifies Broth 
erly Love. 

99. Who was William Penn 1 

A Quaker, who, with a band of followers, had settled in 
Pennsylvania in 1682, buying lands of the Indians. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 21 

loo. Why did Lord Baltimo7'e obtai?i a tract of land 
north of the Potomac River ? 

To secure for the Roman Catholics a refuge from the 
persecutions which they were then suffering in England, 

ID I. What was the cause of Claiborne's rebellion ? 

The Virginia colonies claimed that Lord Baltimore's 
grant covered territory belonging to them. Claiborne, a 
member of the Jamestown council, having established two 
trading-posts in Maryland, prepared to defend them by 
force. On the eve of a battle he fled to Virginia, and his 
party was defeated. Claiborne was tried for treason, but 
acquitted. Ten years afterward he came back, headed a 
revolt, and drove Lord Baltimore, then governor of Mary- 
land, out of the colony. Lord Baltimore returned with a 
large force, and Claiborne fled. 

1 02. After this rebellion, what was the condition of Mary- 
land 1 

The Protestants, having obtained a majority in the as- 
sembly, excluded Catholics from their rights, assailed their 
religion, and even declared them outside the protection of 
the law. Civil war ensued. Atone time two governments 
were sustained, one Protestant and the other Catholic. In 
i6gi Lord Baltimore was entirely deprived of his rights as 
proprietor, and Maryland became a royal province. In 
1715 a later Lord Baltimore recovered the government, and 
religious toleration was again restored. 

103. To whom does the honor of having first established 
religious freedom in America belong 'i 

To the Roman Catholics of Maryland, by the "Tolera- 
tion Act" of 1649. 

104. By whom was Delaware settled^ Where and when? 
What transpired a fe^jv years after their settlement i 

By the Swedes and Finns, in 1630, near the entrance of 
Delaware Bay, where they laid the foundation of Lewiston, 



22 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

the oldest town in the State. After a few years, Governoi 
Stuyvesant of New Netherlands conquered their colony. 

1 05. What European wars disturbed the American colonies! 
King William's war in 1689, Queen Anne's in 1702, and 

King George's in 1744. 

106. What was King William'' s war, and how long did it 
last 2 

In 1689 war broke out in Europe between England and 
France, The contest extended to the American colonies, 
and lasted seven years. 

107. What was the condition of the colonies during Queen 
Anne's war? 

Queen Anne's war lasted eleven years. The New Eng- 
land frontier was again desolated ; remote settlements were 
abandoned ; the people betook themselves to palisaded 
houses, and worked their farms with their guns always at 
hand. 

1 08. Were the colonies much affected by King George's war 1 
They were not. The only event of importance was the 

capture of Louisburg, on the island of Cape Breton. Peace 
being established, England gave back Louisburg to the 
French, 

109. What part did the Indians usually take in these wars ? 
They assisted the French against the English. 

no. Which of the colonies suffered mostly in early war- 
fare ? 

Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. 

111, Which of the colonies was free from Indian warfare? 
Pennsylvania, 

112, Which was the only treaty with Indians never sworn 
tOy and the only one never broken ? 

William Penn's treaty with the Indians. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



23 



113. Name the thirtee?i colonies. 

Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New 
Hampshire, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Dela- 
ware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina and 
Georgia. 

114. When and where were Harvard and Yale Colleges 
founded'^ 

Harvard was founded at Cambridge, Mass., in 1638; 
Yale at New Haven, Conn., in 1701. 

115. When and by whom was the first newspaper started 
in America .? Who was the first American editor 1 

The Boston News Letter was established in 1704 by 
Bartholomew Green. John Campbell was the first Ameri- 
can editor. 

116. In 17 41, what caused great excitement in New York 
City ? 

The supposed negro plot to burn New York and make a 
negro governor. 

117. Who was John Eliot i 

A minister who labored among the Indians, and for his 
devotion was called the Indian Apostle ; he also translated 
the Bible into an Indian written language. 

118. Who was William. Kidd'i 

A man sent out by England to suppress piracy in 1696. 
He turned buccaneer, was captured in Boston in 1699, sent 
to England, condemned and hanged. 

119. By whom was North Carolina settled 1 

In 1650, near Albemarle Sound, by a colony from Vir= 
ginia. 

120. When was South Carolina settled^ 

In 1689, at Charleston, principally by Huguenots. 



24 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

12 1. Jn 1700, what valuable plants were introduced into 
this country ? 

Cotton and rice. 

122. When and by tvhom was Georgia settled 1 

In 1732, by James Oglethorpe, Avho began a settlement 
where Savannah now stands. 

123. Why was it called Georgia 1 

In honor of George II, then king of England. 

124. From what nation came the great mass of the early 
settlers of the United States ? 

From England, though there were considerable numbers 
of Dutch, French, Scotch, Irish, Swedes and Germans. 

- 125. Where were the different nationalities found in the 
colonies ? 

The Dutch were mostly in New York ; the French in 
New York and South Carolina ; the Scotch and Irish in 
East Jersey, the Carolinas and Georgia; the Swedes on 
the Delaware ; the Germans in Pennsylvania and North 
Carolina. 

126. In what occupations were the settlers of New England 
engaged? Those of the Middle States? Those of Virginia 
and Maryland? Those of Georgia and Carolina ? 

In New England the settlers wei'e engaged in farming, 
lumbering, manufacturing, ship-building and fisheries ; in 
the Middle States chiefly in farming ; in Virginia and 
Maryland in farming, tobacco being the staple product; 
in Georgia and Carolina in rice-raising near the coast, and 
in general farming on the high lands, where cotton was 
cultivated on a small scale. 

127. What colony and town stood first in commerce ? 
The colony of Massachusetts and the town of Boston. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



25 



128. What were the populations of New York, Philadelphia 
and Boston ? 

Boston and New York had about 18,000 each. Phila- 
delphia about 25,000. 

129. Why had Virginia 710 large towns i 

The water-ways through Chesapeake Bay and many large 
rivers brought ships into direct communication with many 
plantations, which facilitated exchange and dispensed with 
the need of central markets, so that the colonists did not 
collect in large towns. 

130. In these times how was trade carried on ? 
Mainly by barter. 

131. What was used instead of currency ? 

In Virginia, for a long time, tobacco was used as money; 
in New England wampum, made of shells ; in New York 
beaver-skins. 

132. In what mo?iey were accounts kept? 
English — pounds, shillings and pence. 

133. How did the use of dollars and cents become established! 
By the demand for money in the time of the Revolution. 

134. What were the general manners and customs of the 
early settlers ? 

Primitive. The people did their own weaving and made 
their own clothing, and all were required to dress within 
their means. Their food was abundant, but simple, and 
their houses were mostly log cabins. Everything wore an 
air of industry and thrift. 

135. What religious beliefs existed in the colonies ? 
Christianity in some form was found everywhere. In 

Maryland the Roman Catholic Church was uppermost ; in 
Virginia and South Carolina the Church of England. In 
New England the doctrine was Calvinistic and the form 



26 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

of church government Congregational ; while in New York 
the Reformed Dutch Church was supreme. The Quakers 
predominated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island 
and New Jersey. Roger Williams had established at Provi- 
dence the first Baptist Church in America. The French 
Protestants, or Huguenots, were found in considerable num- 
bers in New York and largely in Carolina. 

136. Give an account of religious persecutions in that day. 
A war of sects was waged in several of the colonies, the 

people seeming to forget their ideas of tolerance and re- 
ligious equality as they prospered. The Puritans im- 
prisoned Baptists and put Quakers to death. The Church- 
men in Virginia banished Puritans and imprisoned Baptists. 
The Protestants of Maryland disfranchised the Catholics. 
But as years passed, the tolerant spirit was gradually re- 
stored. 

137. Under what dominion were the colonies i 
Under the crown of England. 

138. What weix proprietary governments 1 Give examples 
of them. 

Where the province was under some proprietor, by grant 
to an individual or association from the king. Pennsyl- 
vania under William Penn, and Maryland under Lord 
Baltimore, are examples. 

139. Describe (a) royal government, (b) charter govern- 
ment, (c) voluntary association. 

(a) Royal government was that conducted directly by 
the crown through the appointment of a royal governor. 
(3) Charter government was where the colony was gov- 
erned by a code of laws enacted expressly for them and 
called a charter ; this written instrument granted certain 
political rights and privileges, (c) Government by volun- 
tary association was where the people organized themselves 
into a body politic without authority of privilege from the 
crown. 



UNITED STATES hISTORY. 27 

140. Who were the foufiders of American literature ? 
Increase Mather, one of the early presidents of Harvard 

College, and his son Cotton Mather. 

141. What was the first important book written by a native 
American ? 

Cotton Mather's ^^ Magnalia" a religious history of New 
England. 

142. What influence had the pulpit in the education of the 
people in colonial times ? 

It had great influence, as many of the ministers were 
men of superior scholarship. They did not deal wholly in 
religious dogmas, but led and inspired the people, kept 
patriotism aflame, watched the encroachments of British 
despotism, and moulded national character. 

143. When were post-ofices first established ? 

In the year 1693 Parliament voted to establish post- 
offices in the colonies, and Thomas Neale was authorized 
to transmit letters and packets "at such rates as the 
planters should agree to give." 

144. Whatgreatmendid the colonial times produce? What 
notable sentiment was uttered by fames Otis 1 

Jonathan Edwards, theologian ; Benjamin Franklin, phil- 
osopher and statesman ; James Otis and Patrick Henry, 
orators. After the passage of the Stamp Act by Parlia- 
ment, James Otis said: "To my dying day I will oppose, 
with all the powers and faculties God has given me, all 
such instruments of slavery on the one hand and villainy on 
the other." "Then and there," said John Adams, "the 
trumpet of the Revolution was sounded." 

145. Where and when was the first permanent settlement in 
the Mississippi Valley ? 

At Kaskaskia, in Illinois, about 1690. 



28 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

146. What was the cause of fhe Frencji and Indian war^ 
a?id who were the parties to it ? 

The cause was disputed territory, and the parties were 
the French and Indians against tlie English, 

147. Where was the disputed territory ? 

West of the Alleghany Mountains, along the Ohio River 
and the northern lakes. 

148. Who was sent to request the French to withdraw from 
the territory on the Ohio i 

George Washington. 

149. What was the result of Washington'' s endeavor to 
compel the French to abandon the Ohio Fiver territory ? 

After some successes Washington marched to a place 
called Great Meadows, where he built Fort Necessity. 
Early in July, 1755, ^^^ ^'^^^ was attacked by the whole 
French and Indian force, but was so stoutly defended that 
the French commander. Count de Villiers, raised a flag of 
truce. Washington finally gave up the fort, but was per- 
mitted to march away with all the honors of war. 

150 How were Washington and his soldiers rewarded by 
the legislature of Virginia ? 

A vote of thanks was passed, and each soldier was to re- 
ceive a pistole. 

151. After Washington^ s return, what general was sent in 
his place against the French ? 

Gen. Braddock, with a select force of 1,200 men. 

152. What was the result of Gen. Braddock' s expedition? 

When within a few miles of Fort du Quesne (now Pitts- 
burg, Pa.) he was surprised by a body of French and In- 
dians in ambush. Braddock was mortally wounded, and 
nearly all his officers and half his troops were killed. Brad- 
dock was buried during the retreat, and Washington ordered 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



291 



the wagons to pass over his grave and obliterate it so that 
his body might not fall into the hands of the Indians. 

153. Who was the only mounted officer saved in this ex- 
pedition ? 

Washington, although four bullets pierced his coat and 
two horses were shot under him, 

154. Was the next expedition against Fort du Quesne 
successful ? 

Gen. Forbes led this expedition. Washington com- 
manded the Virginia troops. After the capture of the 
fort it received the name of Pittsburg, in honor of William 
Pitt. 

155. At what points outside of the Ohio country did the 
colonists attack the French ? 

At Louisburg, Quebec, Crown Point and Niagara. 

156. What success had the F?iglish in their campaign 
against Acadia i 

The French forts at the head of the Bay of Fundy were 
quickly taken, and the region east of the Penobscot fell 
into the hands of the English. Gen. Loudoun planned an 
attack on Louisburg, but, learning that the French fleet 
contained one more ship than his own, gave it up. The 
next year Gens. Amherst and Wolfe captured the city after 
a severe bombardment, and took possession of the entire 
island. 

157. What did they do at Crown Point and Ticon- 
deroga ? 

The English under Johnson met the French commanded 
by Dieskau near the head of Lake George, where a battle 
was fought, the English being victorious. Johnson, after 
building a fort which he called William Henry, feared de- 
feat if he attempted to take Crown Point, and returned to 
Albany. 



30 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

158. Desc7'ibe the attack on Ticonderoga, 

On a calm Sunday morning, about four months before 
the fall of Fort du Quesne, Gen. Abercrombie, with a 
thousand boats full of soldiers, with waving flags and mar- 
tial music, swept down Lake George to attack Ticonderoga. 
The result was a disastrous repulse. The next year, 1759, 
at the approach of Gen. Amherst with a large army, both 
Ticonderoga and Crown Point were evacuated. 

159. Were the English successful at Niagara ? 

Gen. Shirley reached Oswego, but after hearing of the 
disastrous defeat of Braddock, was discouraged, and only 
stopping to build a fort came home. Four years after 
Niagara surrendered to the English. 

160. Who were the commanders at the battle of Quebec 1 

Gen. Wolfe commanded the English, and Gen. Montcalm 
the French. 

161. How was Quebec taken ? 

Gen. Wolfe, while reconnoitering, observed a narrow 
path winding among the rocks to the top. At night he de- 
scended the river, while his men landed, climbed the steep 
cliff and seized the guards, and at break of day stood with 
his entire army drawn up in order of battle on the Plains of 
Abraham. A desperate battle followed ; on September 13, 
1759, five days later, the city surrendered. 

162. What generals were killed at the capture of Quebec^ 
and what were their dying words ? 

Both Wolfe and Montcalm. Wolfe, when informed that 
the French were running, exclaimed : " Now God be 
praised; I die happy!" Montcalm, when told that his 
wound was fatal, replied: "So much the better; I shall 
not live to see the surrender of Quebec." 



UNITED STATES HISTORY, 31 

163. What was the treaty of peace between France and 
England! 

France gave up all the territory east of the Mississippi, 
except two small islands south of Newfoundland, retained 
as fishing stations. In this treaty Spain ceded Florida to 
England, and France ceded to Spain New Orleans and all 
the territory she claimed west of the Mississippi. 

1 64. What were the cause and results of Pontiac^s war ? 
When the English took possession of the western forts 

great discontent arose, for the French had won the hearts 
of the Indians, Pontiac, a chief of the Ottawas, formed a 
confederation of the tribes against the English, Eight 
forts were surprised and captured, and thousands of per- 
sons fled from their homes to avoid the scalping-knife. By 
a disagreement among the Indians the confederation was 
broken and a treaty signed. 

165. In the French and Indian war, what was the most 
remarkable battle 1 

The capture of Quebec, 

166. What were the effects of this war? 

It cost the colonists ^16,000,000, of which only ^5, 000,000 
was repaid by England, They lost thirty thousand men, 
suffered the untold horrors of Indian warfare, and taxes 
were sometimes equal to two-thirds of the income of the 
tax-payer ; but they learned to think and act independently 
of the mother-country. 

167. At the close of the French and Indian war, what was 
the population of the colonies ? 

About 2,000,000. 

1 68. What were the chief causes which led to the American 
Revolution 7 

The colonies were unjustly taxed, and not allowed 
representation in Parliament. 



32 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

169. What were Writs of Assistance 7 

Warrants authorizing the king's officers to search for 
smuggled goods. This gave the custom-house officers power 
to enter a man's house or store at pleasure. The colonists 
resisted such power as a violation of their legal rights. 

170. What was the Stamp Act, and when was it passed 1 
It was a law requiring that to all bonds, deeds, news- 
papers, pamphlets, etc., there should be attached a stamp 
purchased of the tax authorities of the British crown. It 
was passed by Parliament in 1765. 

171. Who was Patrick Heiiry'i 

A Virginian who with boldness and eloquence distin- 
guished himself by his opposition to the Stamp Act. 

172. After the repeal of the Stamp Act, what attetnpt was 
made to tax the colonies ? 

A duty was laid on all tea, glass, paper and painters' 
colors which should be imported. 

173. Who were the So?is of Liberty ? 

In order to resist the Stamp Act, associations called 
Sons of Liberty were organized, and delegates from nine 
of the colonies met at New York and framed a Declaration 
of Rights, and a petition to the king and Parliament. 
November i was the date appointed for the law to go into 
effect, and on that day the people set aside all business, 
bells were tolled, flags were lowered to half-mast, and stir- 
ring speeches by the great orators of the times aroused the 
people over the whole land. 

174. What was the Mutiny Act? 

A law requiring that the colonies should furnish the 
British soldiers with quarters and necessary supplies. This 
act aroused the indignation of the Americans. To be 
taxed was bad enough, but to be forced to shelter and feed 
their oppressors was unendurable. 



UNITE L. STATES HISTORY. 



zz 



175. What event occurring in Boston received the name of 
■'■ Boston Tea Party"! 

Vessels containing nearly 350 chests of tea were boarded 
by Americans disguised as Indians, and the tea was 
thrown into the harbor. 

176. What was the Boston Port Billl 

An act of Parliament forbidding the landing of goods in 
Boston, 

177. What was the Boston Massacre! 

A small guard of British soldiers passing through the 
streets of Boston were so exasperated by the jeers and 
taunts of a crowd of men and boys, that they fired, killing 
three persons and wounding several others. 

178. When and where did the first General Congress oj 
the colonies assemble^ and what action did it take ? 

The first Continental Congress was held at Philadelphia, 
September 5, 1774. It voted not to obey the recent acts of 
Parliament ; protested against standing armies being kept 
in the colonies without consent of the people ; sustained 
Massachusetts in her resistance, and agreed to hold no 
intercourse with Great Britain. 

179. Why do we cherish the name Faneuil Hall! Where 
is it ! By what other name is it known ! 

Faneuil Hall, in Boston, was a great rendezvous of the 
Revolutionary patriots. Powerful speeches were made in 
this hall for the cause of freedom, and from this it acquired 
the title of the "Cradle of Liberty." 

180. What was the public feeling in England! 

Public feeling was generally against the colonies. " Every 
man," wrote Dr. Franklin, "seems to consider himself as a 
piece of a sovereign over America; seems to jostle himself 
into the throne with the king, and talks of our subjects in 
the colonies." 



34 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

i8i. Were the people all united ifi then protestations 
against the English government ? By what party names were 
they known ? 

They were not. Those who still remained loyal to the 
king were termed Tories, and those in opposition Whigs. 

182. Who was Paul Severe ? 

A daring patriot, who, at the outbreak of the Revolution, 
performed valuable services in rousing the people in the 
country and villages. 

REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 

183. Who had command of the British army at the com- 
menceme?it of the Revolution ? 

Gen. Gage. 

184. When and where was fought the first battle of the 
Revolution ? 

April 19, 1775, ^t Lexington, a few miles from Boston. 

185. Describe the battle of Lexington. 

Gen. Gage, learning that the people were gathering mil- 
itary stores at Concord, sent eight hundred British soldiers 
to destroy them ; at Lexington a skirmish occurred in 
which seven Americans were killed. After destroying the 
stores, the troops hastily retreated, followed by the militia, 
who were eager to avenge the death of their countrymen. 
In their retreat to Boston the British lost nearly three 
hundred men. 

186. What effect had this battle ? 

The effect was like wild-fire. American blood had been 
shed. Patriot avengers came pouring in from all sides. 
Grey-headed fathers and mothers sent their boys to battle. 

187. Who was Israel Putnam ? What nickname was 
given him ? 

A Connecticut farmer who, when notified of the battle of 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



35 



Lexington, immediately left his plow, mounted his horse 
and rode to Boston, a distance of loo miles, without leav- 
ing his saddle. His great courage and patriotism was of 
vast assistance to the cause of freedom. He was familiarly 
known as "Old Put." 

1 88. What were some of Putnam's narrow escapes ? 

The story of his entering a wolf's den and shooting the 
animal by the glare of his eyes serves to show his love of 
bold adventure. At Fort Edward he alone, when all others 
fled, saved a magazine containing three hundred barrels of 
gunpowder from approaching flames, at the cost of being 
terribly burned. In one encounter he received fourteen 
bullet holes in his clothing. The British vainly offered 
him money if he would desert the American cause. 

189. When and where was the battle of Bunker Hilll 
Describe it. 

June 17, 1775, on Breed's Hill, in Charlestown. It was 
the intention of Gen. Ward, who commanded the patriots, 
to fortify Bunker Hill in the night, but by some mistake 
Breed's Hill was selected. At daylight the British were 
startled by seeing the redoubt which had been constructed, 
and the officers immediately decided to drive the Americans 
from their position. Three thousand troops under Gen. 
Howe were formed into line and slowly ascended the hill. 
No move was made by the patriots until the British were 
within ten rods. Then a ^blaze of light shot from the re- 
doubt, and whole ranks of the enemy fell. The survivors, 
unable to endure the terrible slaughter, broke and fled. 

A second charge was but a repetition of the first; but 
on the third the ammunition of the patriots became ex- 
hausted and they were driven from the field. 

190. Who were the commanders in this battle ? What was 
the force of each army, and the loss ? 

Gen. Howe commanded the British army. It is uncer 



36 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

tain who commanded the Americans, but generally histor- 
ians give Col. Prescott the credit. The British force, which 
numbered 3,000, lost 1,000; the Americans had a force of 
1,500, and lost 450. 

igi. What American general was killed in this battle ? 

Gen. Warren. This gallant soldier was among the last 
to leave the field of battle, and while he was trying to rally 
the troops, a British officer who knew him seized a musket 
and shot him dead. 

192. How did the Americans regard the battle of Bunker 
Bill? 

The effect was that of a victory, as the untrained farmer- 
soldiers had met the seasoned troops of the British army, 
had repulsed them twice with great slaughter, and but for 
the lack of ammunition would have been victorious. 

193. What two forts were captured by the Americans in 
May, i77sf 

Ticonderoga and Crown Point. 

194. To whom did these forts surrender! 

To Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, respectively. 

195. What did Allen say when asked by what authority 
Jie demanded the surrender of Ticonderoga 1 

"I demand it in the name of the Great Jehovah and the 
Continental Congress." 

1 96. Who were termed " Gree?i Mountain Boys " 1 

During a controversy between New Hampshire and New 
york, over lands claimed by each party. Col. Ethan Allen 
became conspicuous in the cause of New Hampshire, and 
the recruits under him were called the "Green Mountain 
Boys." It is now applied to the men of Vermont, 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 37 

197. When did the second Continental Congress assemble, 
and what did it do ? 

On May 10, 1775. It voted to raise and equip 20,000 
men, and give the command to Gen. Washington, 

198. When did Gen. Washington take command of the 
American army, and how large was his force "i 

July 3, 1775, at Cambridge, Mass. His force was 14,000 
men. 

199. What was the result of the American attack on 
Canada ? 

It was unsuccessful, suffering a defeat at Quebec, where 
Gen. Montgomery, the American general, was killed. 

1776. 

200. Ifow did Washington force the British to evacuate 
Boston 1 

By sending a force at night to fortify Dorchester 
Heights. These overlook Boston, and Howe, remember- 
ing the lesson of Bunker Hill, decided to leave. The next 
day, March 18, 1776, Washington entered the city amid 
great rejoicing. 

201. Describe the attack on Fort Moultrie. 

On June 28, a British fleet under Admiral Parker opened 
fire on Fort Moultrie. The response from Moultrie's guns 
was so fearful that the fleet was badly damaged, and it 
withdrew and sailed for New York. 

202. What daring feat was accomplished by Sergeant 
/asper in this attack ? 

Early in the action the flagstaff was struck by a ball ; 
Jasper leaped over the breastworks, caught up the flag, 
and springing back tied it to a sponge staff, and replaced 
it in its former position. 



38 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

203. Who introduced in Congress the resolution that "the 
United Colonies are, and ought to be, free and independent 
States"? 

Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, June 7, 1776. 

204. Who were appointed to draw up a declaration of 
rights ? 

Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, 
Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. 

205. When was the Declaration of Independence accepted 
by Congress ? 

July 4, 1776. 

206. What did this declaration assert 1 

That the thirteen United States of America were free 
and independent. 

207. When was it signed, and by how many persons ? 
August 2, 1776, by all the members of Congress, num- 
bering fifty-six. 

208. What became necessary after this declaration i 
That articles of government should be drawn. 

209. What were these articles called, and when were they 
to take effect ? 

Articles of Confederation, and they were to take effect 
when ratified by all the States. 

210. Were they ratified by Congress immediately ? 

No ; delays and objections arose, but they were estab- 
lished in March, 1781. 

211. Which State was the last to give her consent 1 
Rhode Island,, in 1790. 

212. Why we7'e the articles of confederation not adapted t6 
the general wants of the government ? 

Because they gave no real power to Congress, which 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 3g 

could only recommend what should be done. Congress 
could borrow money, but was not empowered to pay it ; 
could declare war and determine how many troops should 
be raised, but could not levy taxes to defray expenses, or 
compel the States to raise the troops. 

213. When was the battle of Long Island fought^ and with 
what result ? 

On August 27, 1776, the Americans being compelled to 
withdraw, closely pursued by the British under Gen. Howe. 

214. In the retreat of Washington^ through what places did 
he pas si 

North by way of Harlem, White Plains and Chester, 
then southwest through New Jersey to the Pennsylvania 
side of the Delaware River. 

215. When was the battle of White Plains fought^ and who 
was victorious ? 

October 28, 1776. Neither side was victorious, although 
Washington retreated when the British received reinforce- 
ments. 

216. What was the feeling of the colonists at this timet 

They were discouraged and heartsick. In the three 
weeks' retreat of Washington the soldiers were poorly clad 
and many of them barefooted. Often their blood-stained 
footprints were left on the frozen ground. It was a season 
of great adversity, and tried the patriotism of the new 
government. Many people of wealth and influence went 
over to the British side. 

217. What dari7ig exploit was undertaken by Washington 
near the close of the year 1776 ? 

He crossed the Delaware River on the night of Decem- 
ber 25, proceeded to Trenton, and in the early morning 
captured one thousand Hessians and a large quantity of 



40 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

arms with the loss of only four men, two killed and two 
frozen to death. 

218. What was ike effect of this feat ? 

It was considered the great military exploit of the Rev- 
olution. Its effect was electrical. It revived the drooping 
spirits of army and people. Recruits flocked to the Amer- 
ican standard, and the troops whose terms of enlistment 
had expired, agreed to remain. Such brilliant achieve- 
ments of Washington astonished the British commander, 
and Cornwallis, who was about to return to England under 
the impression that the rebellion had been subdued, was 
ordered to remain and prepare for a winter's campaign. 

219. Why did Washington choose Christmas night to attack 
the Hessians ? 

Knowing that the Germans regarded this day as one of 
great festivity, he believed they would not expect an 
attack, and in the midst of their carousals could be sur- 
prised and routed. 

220. When and by whom were the islands oj Rhode Island 
captured i 

December 8, 1776, by Sir Peter Parker. 

1777. 

221. At the opening of the year i"///, how many British 
armies were in America ? 

There were three, one of 35,000 men, under Gen. Howe, 
whose headquarters were in New York ; one of 7,000 in 
Canada, under Sir Guy Carleton ; and one of 5,000 in Rhode 
Island, commanded by Gen. Prescott. 

222. What battle soon followed Washington's success at 
Trenton ? 

The battle of Princeton, Jan. 3, 1777, which was one of 
the most brilliant contests during the whole war. The 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



41 



Americans were successful. That night Washington left 
his camp-fires burning to deceive the enemy, and by a 
circuitous route passed the British, fell upon the troops 
near Princeton, routed them, took three hundred prisoners, 
and by rapid marches reached Morristown Heights in 
safety. 

223. What was Cornwallis'' s mistake in connection with 
this achievement of Washington ? 

He was urged by other officers to attack Washington 
that night, but believing it an impossibility for him to 
escape, he declined, saying he could " catch the fox in the 
morning." At daybreak the sound of cannon in the 
direction of Princeton aroused Gen. Erskine, who ex- 
claimed, " To arms. General ! Washington has out- 
generaled us ; let us fly to the rescue at Princeton ! " 

224. What great compliment was given to Washington 
by Frederick the Great of Prussia ? 

He declared that the achievements of Washington and 
his little band, during the six weeks following Christmas, 
were the most wonderful recorded on the pages of military 
annals. 

225. During the summer following the battle of Princeton^ 
what occurred between the British and Americans 1 

Little of importance. Howe waited for an attack, but 
finding Washington apparently on the defensive set out to 
force an engagement, which by the adroit movements of 
the Americans was prevented. Finding these attempts 
unsuccessful, Howe suddenly changed his plans, embarked 
eighteen thousand men on his brother's fleet and set sail 
for Chesapeake Bay. 

226. What was the force of Washington's army 9 

It numbered only eleven thousand men ; but with this 
small army Washington resolved to hazard a battle for the 
defence of Philadelphia. 



42 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

227. What noted French Marquis joined the Americans ai 
this time, and what obstacles did he overcome in order to offer 
his services to the American Congress ? 

Marquis de La Fayette. He was not yet twenty years 
of age and had just married. He had brilliant social 
prospects and carried out his plan in defiance of the objec- 
tions of his family, the protestations of the British Minister 
and the refusal of the king to grant him the necessary per- 
mission. Undaunted, he purchased a vessel with his own 
money, fitted it out, and, by evading the officers sent to 
detain him, crossed the ocean and hurried before Congress, 
where he asked permission to serve as a volunteer with- 
out pay. His valor won for him a commission as Major- 
General before he was twenty-one. 

228. When was the battle 0/ Brandy wine fought, and who 
was victorious ? 

September 11, 1777; Washington was defeated, retreat- 
ing to Philadelphia. 

229. When did Philadelphia surrender to the British 1 
September 26, 1777, without opposition. 

230. Where did Washington attack the British soon after 
his retreat from Philadelphia, and with what result ? 

At Germantown, October 4, meeting with defeat, and 
losing 1,200 men. 

231. What was one of the most daring and remarkable 
exploits of this period of the war, afid how accomplished "i 

The seizure of the British General Prescott by Col. Bar- 
ton, who, with forty selected soldiers, crossed Narragan 
sett Bay in the night to the island, where the British army 
was encamped, proceeded to Gen. Prescott's lodgings, 
captured him and returned. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY, 



43 



232. What was the chief object of taking Gen. Prescott^ 
and was it accomplished 2 

To have an officer of equal rank with Gen. Charles Lee, 
that an exchange might be effected. The plan was suc- 
cessful. 

233. Where did the British army go into winter quarters^ 
and what was their condition in the spring ? What did Dk 
Franklin wittily remark of them 'i 

At Germantown. The winter was spent in such con- 
tinued festivities that they were sadly demoralized. Be- 
cause of this demoralization, Franklin said that " Howe 
has not taken Philadelphia so much as Philadelphia has 
taken Howe." 

234. Who was Lydia Darrach ? 

A Quaker woman, who revealed to Washington a plot 
that the British had arranged to attack him. 

235. What cheering offset to Washington's defeat greeted 
the Americans! 

The brilliant achievements of the Americans in the 
north. 

236. Who invaded the United States from Canada 7 
G*n. Burgoyne, with 10,000 British troops and Indians. 

237. What success did he have? 

He captured Forts Crown Point, Ticonderoga and Ed- 
ward, and the supplies at Whitehall. These successes cre- 
ated general consternation among the American colonists. 
Militiamen from the neighboring States were rapidly col- 
itfcted, and under the command of Lincoln, Arnold and Mor- 
gan, were dispatched to check the advance of the British. 

238. Who commanded the northern division of the American 
army? Who the British? 

Gen. Gates commanded the Americans, and Gen. Bur- 
goyne the British. 



44 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

239. What stratagem did Arnold resort to, in order to roui 
the British, and relieve Fort Stanwix? 

He sent a half-witted boy into the camp of the British, 
who spread the report that a large body of Americans was 
close at hand. When asked their number, he could only 
answer by pointing to the leaves of the trees. The In- 
dians and the British were so frightened that they fled 
immediately. 

240. At the battle of £enfti?igton, how did Gen. Stark 
inspire his troops, and with what resuWi 

As the British lines were forming for the attack, he 

exclaimed : " There are the red coats ! We must beat 

them to-day, or Mollie Stark is a widow." They gained a 
victory, and took six hundred prisoners. 

241. What battles were fought by Gates and Burgoynel 
Who won them? 

The two battles of Stillwater, or Saratoga, on Septem- 
ber 19 and October 7, 1777 ; the Americans were successful. 

242. Whe?i, where and to whom did Burgoyne surrender? 
October 17, 1777, at Saratoga, to Gen. Gates. 

243. What was the agreement in this surrender? 

That the British should give up their arms and ammuni- 
tion, return to England, and engage no more in the war. 

244. In this campaign, what noted foreigner tendered his 
assistance '■^ to fight as a volunteer for American independence''^ ? 

Gen. Kosciusko, a Pole of noble birth. 

245. What patriotic remark did Gen. Stark make when 
informed, after the battle of Bennington, that one of his five 
sons had been unfortu?iate? ' 

" Has he proved a coward or a traitor ? " " Worse than 
that," was the answer ; " he has fallen, but while bravely 
fighting." "Ah!" said the father, "then I am satisfied." 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



45 



246. What was the Conway Cabal plot! 

A plot, originating in Congress, to put Washington out 
of command of the army. When the people heard of it 
they were so indignant that those who proposed it were 
glad to sink into silence. 

247. When did Congress adopt the Articles of Confedera- 
tion ? 

In November, 1777. 

248. Where did Washington quarter his troops during the 
Winter of IY7Y-IJ78, a?id what was their condition ? 

In Valley Forge. The men were encamped in cold, 
comfortless huts, with little or no clothing. Many were 
barefooted, few had blankets, and straw could not be 
obtained. Sickness attacked the camp, and for want of 
suitable food and medicines many of the sufferers died. 

1778. 

249. What move was now made by England to efFect a 
7'econciliation ? 

They sent commissioners with liberal proposals, but the 
day was past for any negotiation which did not recognize 
the colonies free and independent. 

250. When Gen. Reed, of Pennsylvania, was offered ten 
thousand guineas and high honors to seek a negotiation of 
peace, what did he say ? 

" I am not worth purchasing ; but such as I am, the 
king of Great Britain is not rich enough to buy me ! " 

251. Who were appointed by Congress to solicit aid from 
the French governments 

Benjamin Franklin, Silas Dean and Arthur Lee. 

252. When and where was the treaty of alliance formed? 
At Paris, February 6, 1778. It was ratified by Congress 

May 4. 



46 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

253. What assistance was sent by France in the spring^ 
A French fleet under Count d'Estaing. 

254. How lo7ig didthe British hold Philadelphia! 
About nine months, withdrawing their forces June 18, 

1778. 

255. Where did Congress assemble while the British held 
Philadelphia ? 

At Lancaster and York, Pennsylvania. 

256. When and where was the battle of Monmouth fought^ 
and who were victorious! What heroic achievement was 
performed by a woman in this battle? 

June 28, 1778, in the eastern part of New Jersey. Both 
parties claimed the victory, but the British withdrew their 
troops. The day was sultry and hot. During this battle 
an artilleryman was shot at his post. His wife, Mary 
Pitcher, saw him fall, and hearing the commander order 
the piece to be removed from the field, she hastened to 
the cannon, seized the rammer, and with great skill and 
courage performed her husband's duty. 

257. How was Mary Pitcher rewarded by Congress for her 
courage and patriotism ? 

She was voted a sergeant's warrant with half-pay during 
her life. 

258. What is said of Gen. Charles Lee at the battle of 
Monmouth ? 

Gen. Lee, in conducting the attack, became alarmed and 
ordered a retreat, which threw the troops into' confusion. 
Washington coming up ordered a halt, bitterly rebuked 
Lee, and by his personal influence rallied the men and 
sent them back against the enemy. Lee being thus re- 
buked, wrote indignant letters to Washington, who gave 
them to Congress, who suspended Lee from the army. Lee 
retired to his estate and never rejoined the army. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



47 



259. Describe the campaign in Rhode Island. 

A combined attack on Newport was agreed upon by 
Gen. Sullivan and Count d'Estaing with the French fleet. 
Soon after the arrival of d'Estaing in Narragansett Bay, 
Howe appeared off the harbor with the English fleet. An 
engagement was about to begin, when a terrible storm 
came up and both fleets were badly damaged, and retreated 
for repairs. Sullivan, being thus deserted, was obliged to 
retreat to prevent an encounter with Gen. Clinton, who 
came from New York with reinforcements. 

260. When did the massacre of Wyoming occur, and who 
directed it ? 

July 3, 1778, under the direction of John Butler and 
Joseph Brandt at the head of 1,600 Tories and Indians. 

261. Describe this massacre. 

After the capture of the forts the Indians perpetrated 
the most barbarous massacre which their savage cruelty 
could devise, sparing neither women nor children and 
slaughtering the aged with the young. The entire valley 
was ablaze with burning buildings, and nothing that could 
be destroyed was allowed to remain. 

1779. 

262. Who had charge 0/ the American forces in the South 
in I77g, and who of the British / 

Gen. Lincoln commanded the Americans, Gen. Provost 
the British. 

263. At this time, where were Washington and Clinton 'f 
In the Northern States. 

264. What important posts on the Hudson were surrendered 
to the Americans in 1779 1 

Stony Point and Paulus Hook. 



48 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

265. How were these posts taken^ and by whom! 

Gen. Wayne, in the night of July 15, with unloaded guns 
and fixed bayonets, attacked Stony Point, carrying the 
works. Paulus Hook was surprised and taken by Major 
Lee on July ig. 

266. What was the result of the Americafi attack on 
Savannah ] 

A great loss to the American and French forces. 

267. In the siege of Savannah, what nobleman was mor- 
tally wonndecl? 

The Polish Count Pulaski. 

268. Up to this time, what had been the success of the 
American navy and privateers 1 

They had captured more than five hundred ships ; they 
had even cruised among the British Isles, and entering 
harbors seized and burned ships lying at the English 
and Scottish wharves. 

269. Who was fohn Paul f ones ? 

A successful commander of the naval forces. His most 
memorable exploit occurred off the coast of Scotland, 
where his Bon Homme Richard captured the British 
Serapis. As the enemy carried the heavier guns, he lashed 
the two vessels together, and for two hours the crews 
fought hand to hand with musket, pike and cutlass. The 
Bon Homme Richard was worse damaged than the British 
suspected ; but just as she was about to sink, the captain 
of the Serapis struck his colors, and Jones transferred his 
men to the captured frigate and sailed off with her. 

270. During this year, what attack was made by Gen. 
Sullivan ? 

He was ordered by Washington to attack the Indians 
on the frontiers of New York and Pennsylvania. The 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



49 



savages were everywhere defeated and forty of their 
villages were burned. 

271. What was the condition of the country at the close of 
the year ly^g'i 

There was a very despondent feeling. The Americans 
had gained no decisive victory, while the British had ob- 
tained control of much important territory. The finances 
of the government, also, were in a sad condition. 

272. What was Continental money ? 

The paper currency issued by Congress. This issue 
amounted to ^200,000,000, and became so depreciated 
that $40 in bills were worth only |i in specie. 

1780. 

273. In 1780, where w&re the military operatioiis mostly 
carried on ? 

In South Carolina. 

274. What was the result of the siege of Charleston? 
Gen. Lincoln was forced to surrender his troops, 2,000 

in number, May 12, 1780. 

275. Who succeeded Lincoln in the command of the Southern 
forces^ a?td who had command of the British .? 

Gen. Horatio Gates succeeded Lincoln, and Lord Corn- 
wallis had command of the British. 

276. When and where was the battle of Camden, who com 
manded, and who was victorious? 

Near Camden, South Carolina, August 16, 1780. The 
armies were commanded by Gates and Cornwallis, the 
Americans being defeated with a loss of 2,000 men. 

277. Who received command of the Southern army aftef 
the unsuccessful operations of Gen. Gates'? 

Gen. Nathaniel Greene. 



50 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

278. What massacre was perpetrated by Col. Tarleton 
and his British troops 1 

The massacre of Maxhaw Creek, where a body of 400 
Americans were surprised, and after surrendering were 
massacred. 

279. What was the condition of the South after these re- 
verses 1 

As the States had been overrun by the British, there was 
no organized resistance to them. 

280. What fleet came to assist the Americans infulyl 

A French fleet under the Chevalier de Ternay and Count 
de Rochambeau with 6,000 troops. 

281. Who was Benedict Arnolds 

An American traitor, who secretly agreed to betray West 
Point into the hands of the British. 

282. Who was Major Andre? 

A British officer, who was sent by Clinton to negotiate 
with Arnold. 

283. What were the names of the captors of Andrk, and 
how were they rewarded? 

John Paulding, David Williams and Isaac Van Wart. 
Each received a pension of $200 for life and a silver medal 
bearing on one side the motto, "Fidelity," and on the 
other, "The love of country conquers." 

284. What were the words of Washington when the proofs 
of Arnold's treaso?i were placed in his hands? 

"Whom can we trust now ?" 

285. What became of Arnold and Andri? 

Arnold escaped to the British lines. Andre was hanged 
as a spy, at Tappan, N. J., October 2, 1780. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



SI 



286. How was Arnold rewarded for his treachery 1 

He received about ^30,000, a colonelcy in the British 
army, and the contempt of everybody. 

287. Who rendered gallant assistance ifi the South in the 
lawless attacks of the Tories^ and often successfully routed 
small detachments of the British soldiers? 

Marion, Sumter, Pickens and Lee. 

288. What can be said of the courage, privations and hard' 
ships of these men ? 

They were brave and patriotic, fighting without pay, 
food or clothing. They bore all the hardships and pri- 
vations of warfare without a murmur. A British officer 
who was sent to negotiate with Marion for an exchange of 
prisoners was asked to dine with him. Finding the fare to 
consist only of roasted potatoes and salt, and that his host 
had neither bed nor blanket, he was so affected by this de- 
votion to liberty that he resigned his commission, declaring 
that he would never fight against a cause with such de- 
fenders. 

289. What was the condition of the British armies at the 
close of the year lySo 1 

They had two large armies well equipped : one under Sir 
Henry Clinton, with headquarters at New York, and the 
other in the south under Lord Cornwallis. 

290. What valuable assistance was rendered by Robert 
Morris, of Philadelphia 1 

He gave three million rations to the soldiers. He loaned 
large sums of money, and even pledged his entire property 
as credit for the government. He also organized soldiers' 
relief associations, where private subscriptions were re- 
ceived, clothing was made, and encouragement given to 
renewed enlistment by soldiers whose time had expired. 
This patriot, so often the main support of Washington. 



52 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

lost his fortune in his old age, and was confined in prison 
for debt. 

1781-1788. 

291. When and where was the battle of Cowpens fought^ 
and who was vkto?'ious? 

January 17, 1781, in South Carolina. The Americans 
under Gen. Morgan were successful, with a loss of only 
80 men. The enemy's loss was 800. 

292. What successful ope7'a(ioTis were conducted by Gen. 
Greene in September? 

He attacked the British at Eutaw Springs, Septem- 
ber 8, and so crippled the enemy that they retired toward 
Charleston. 

293. Did Gen. Greene ei'er gain a decided victory? 

No ; but his defeats had all the effects of success, and 
Congress voted him the highest honors for his prudence, 
wisdom and valor. 

294. How was the war conducted at the North ? 

With great brutality. Arnold, who had command of a 
British force, in Connecticut, burned much private as well 
as public property, and Cornwallis, after arriving and tak- 
ing command, destroyed ^10,000,000, worth of property. 

295. What event brought the war to a close? 
The surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. 

296. When and to whom did Cornwallis surrender^ 
October 19, 1781, to Gen. Washington. 

297. When and where was the treaty of peace signed, and 
who were the commissioners who signed it? 

September 3, 1783, at Paris. The American commis 
sioners were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry 
Laurens and John Jay. The British commissioners were 
Messrs. Fitzherbert and Oswald. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



^l 



298. When was peace proclaimed to the American armyf 

April 19, 1783, just eight years after the battle of 
Lexington. 

299. Where and when did Washington resign his military 
commission ? 

December 23, 1783, before Congress, which was as- 
sembled at Annapolis, Md. He then returned to his home 
at Mt. Vernon, Virginia. 

300. What was the condition of the cou?itry at this time? 

The Articles of Confederation did not meet the needs of 
the hour. Bitter jealousy existed between the several States 
with regard to each other and the general government. 
Continental money was much depreciated, and universal 
bankruptcy seemed almost inevitable. 

301. What notable foreigners gave their assistance to the 
Americans! 

The Marquis de La Fayette, Count de Grasse, Count de 
Rochambeau, Count d'Estaing, Count Pulaski and Cheva- 
lier de Ternay. 

302. What was the cause of the Shays Rebellion? 

In New England a large body of people refused to pay 
their taxes, and openly threatened to overturn the govern- 
ment. The rebellion, led by Daniel Shays, was put down 
by troops under Gen. Lincoln. 

303. When was the national flag adopted? Describe it. 

In 1 7 7 7, by Congress. It is composed of thirteen stripes, 
alternate red and white, with a field of blue in the upper 
flag-staff corner, on which there is a star for every State. 
The breadth is two-thirds its length. 

304. Whe?i was the Constitution adopted? 
In 1788. 



54 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

305. After the adoption of the Constitution, where did Con 
^ress first meet? 

At New York, in April, 1789. 

306. What were the difficulties with ivhich the new govern- 
ment had to contend? 

The treasury was empty, and the United States had no 
credit ; the Indians were hostile ; pirates from the Barbary 
States preyed upon our commerce ; Spam refused us the 
navigation of the Mississippi ; England had not sent a 
Minister to our government, nor had she made a treaty of 
commerce with us. 

^^Washington's ADMn^fisxRAXioN — 1 789-1797. 

307. When was Washington inaugurated President of the. 
United States ? 

At New York, April 2,0, "1789. 

308. Where was the second session of Congress held? 

At Philadelphia, in 1790, where the seat of government 
was to remain until 1800. 

309. When did the city of Washington become the capital 
of the United States ? 

In 1800. 

310. Who composed Washington'' s Cabinet? 

Jefferson was Secretary of State ; Hamilton, Secretary 
of the Treasury ; Knox, Secretary of War ; and Randolph. 
Attorney-General. 

311. How 7vas the credit of the United States put upon a 
firm basis? 

By the advice of Hamilton, taxes were levied on im- 
ported goods and on distillation of spirits, and a mint and 
national bank were established at Philadelphia, 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



55 



312. What did Daniel Webster say of Hamilton ? 

"He smote the rock of the national resources, and 
abundant streams of revenue burst forth. He touched the 
dead corpse of public credit, and it sprang upon its feet." 

313. Who was appointed Minister to the United States 
from France ? Why was he recalled^ 

Citizen Genet, in 1793. The war which broke out be- 
tween France and England induced Genet to try to rouse 
the American people to espouse the cause of France, and 
he even went so far as to fit out privateers in the ports of 
the United States to prey upon British commerce. Wash- 
ington had great trouble in preserving neutrality. He 
saw that the true American policy was to keep free from 
European entanglements, and therefore demanded the re- 
call of Genet. 

314. What great calamity visited the people of America in 
August, 1793? 

The yellow fever broke out in Philadelphia, and raged 
with such virulence that within three months, out of a 
population of 60,000, no less than 4,000 perished. 

315. What was the Whiskey Rebellion? 

The inhabitants in Western Pennsylvania were deter- 
mined that no tax should be paid on whiskey, and they 
were so well organized that fifteen thousand troops had to 
be called out to subdue them. 

316. What difficulties now arose with the Indians, and 
what expeditiofis were sent against them ? 

The early settlers of Ohio were much annoyed by their 
depredations, and Gens. Warner and St. Clair were sent 
against them, but were defeated with great slaughter. 
Gen. Wayne was now put in command, and in 1794 gained 
a complete victory, laying waste the entire Indian country 



^6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

317. What was the condition of foreign affairs 1 
Difficulties were arising with England in regard to the 

collection of debts in America and the impressment of our 
seamen. A treaty was made with Spain securing to the 
United States the free navigation of the Mississippi and 
fixing the boundary of Florida. 

318. What treaty was made with England in regard to 
English debts ^ How was this treaty received by the American 
people ? 

Chief Justice Jay was sent as envoy extraordinary to 
England, where he negotiated a treaty which was ratified 
by the Senate in 1795 after a violent opposition. This 
treaty recognized the right to collect debts in the United 
States, but did not forbid the impressment of American 
seamen, a source of bitter complaint. 

319. What two political parties were now organized] 
Who were the leadei^s of these parties! 

The Republican party under the leadership of Jefferson, 
Madison and Randolph, and the Federalist party by Hamil- 
ton and Adams. 

320. What were the principles advocated by these parties] 
The Federalists favored the granting of broad powers to 

the general government, which they thought ought to be 
strong, while the Republicans, fearing lest the strength of 
the government should lead to a monarchy, advocated 
State rights as a safeguard against the usurpation of power. 
They also opposed the United States Bank, the English 
treaty and the assumption of the States' debts by the gen- 
eral government. In the campaign preceding the election 
of John Adams to the Presidency the Federalists were ac- 
cused of being the friends of Great Britain and the Re- 
publicans the friends of France. The Republicans declared 
themselves the only true friends of the people, and stig- 
matized all others as aristocrats and monarchists. 



UI^ITED STATES HISTORY. 



57 



321. By what majority ivas Adams elected 't 

By a majority of two electoral votes over Jefferson, the 
Republican candidate, who became Vice-President, 

ADAMS' ADMINISTRATION 1797-1801. 

322. When was Adams inaugurated Fresidentl 
March 4, 1797. 

323. During Adams^ administration what were the most 
memorable occurrences ? 

The passage of the Alien and Sedition Laws, and difficul- 
ties with France. 

324. What were the Alien and Sedition Laws? 

The Alien Law authorized the President to expel from 
the country any foreigner whom he deemed injurious to 
the United States. Under the Sedition Law, anyone 
libeling Congress, the President or the government could 
be fined or imprisoned. 

325. What difficulties sprang up between this country and 
France^ and what prevented war between them ? 

Our flag was insulted, our vessels were captured, and our 
envoys were refused audience by the French government. 
Hostilities were begun on the seas, but when Napoleon 
became First Consul of France the difficulty ceased. Peace 
was declared in 1800. 

326. Why was France so hostile to the United States when 
she had previously rendered such valuable services 1 

Having rendered us assistance, many of her people be- 
lieved that we should return her favors, and, becoming 
desperate in her home difficulties, she sought revenge. 
Our demand for the recall of Genet the French people cod 
udered an insult to them. 



^8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION' BOOK. 

327. In the midst of these excitements what memorable 
event occurredl 

The death of George Washington, December 14, 1799, 
at Mount Vernon, aged sixty-seven years. 

328. When was the seat of government removed from 
Philadelphia to Washington^ 

In the year 1800. 

329. What was the political feeling during the Adams 
administration .? 

Strong party feeling prevailed throughout the administra- 
tion. The unpopularity of the Alien and Sedition Laws 
resulted in the success of the Republican candidates at 
the next Presidential election. 

330. Who were candidates in the campaign of 1800? 

Adams and Pinckney for the Federalists. Thomas Jef- 
ferson and Aaron Burr for the Republicans. 

331. What tie vote occurred in this election^ 
One between Jefferson and Burr. 

Jefferson's administration. 

332. How was Thomas Jefferson elected Presidents 
There being no election by the people, he was elected 

by Congress on the thirty-sixth ballot. 

333. What was the most important event of Jefferson's 
administration ? 

The purchase of Louisiana from Napoleon for ^15,000,000. 
This secured more than one million square miles of land, 
and full possession of the Mississippi. The tract sold 
to us had just been ceded by Spain to France, 

334. What was the cause of the war with Tripoli? 
American commerce suffered greatly from the pirates of 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



59 



h& Barbary States. They held the crews of captured ves- 
sels until ransomed. The war occurred in 1805. 

335. What daring exploit was accomplished by Lieut 
Decatur 'i 

The frigate Philadelphia, running aground while in the 
harbor of Tripoli, had fallen into the hands of the Bashaw. 
Decatur entered the harbor with a small vessel, apparently 
n distress, and concealing his men below, boarded the 
Philadelphia by surprise, swept the crew into the sea, set 
ihe ship afire, and amid a tremendous cannonade from the 
batteries escaped without the loss of a man. 

336. What difficulties arose between England and the 
United States 1 

England claimed the right of stopping American vessels 
on the high seas, searching for seamen of English birth 
and pressing them into the British navy. Accordingly the 
British frigate Leopold fired into the American frigate 
Chesapeake off the coast of Virginia, and her commander, 
going aboard, seized four of the crew, three of whom were 
Americans by birth. They were carried off on the pre- 
tense that they were deserters. 

337. What was the American doctrine in regard to na- 
turalized /oreigners? What the English doctrine i 

The Americans claimed that a foreigner, when natural- 
ized, became an American and entitled to the same protec- 
tion as any other citizen. The English doctrine was 
"Once an Englishman, always an Englishman." 

338. After the capture of the Chesapeake^ what did Jef- 
ferson order? 

That all British war vessels should quit the waters of the 
United States. 

339. What was the " Embargo Act"1 

A Resolution of Congress forbidding American vessels 



5o COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOO A. 

to leave port. As this was so injurious to our commerci; 
Ihe restriction was removed, but all intercourse between 
England and France was forbidden. 

340. What was the Milan Decree? 

A decree of Napoleon for the confiscation of all vessels 
which submitted to search by an English ship, or paid 
'.ribute. 

341. What deplorable meeting occurred between Aaron 
^iirr and Alexander Hamilto?i ? 

A duel in which Hamilton was killed. This occurre'd in 
July, 1804, and was greatly lamented by the American 
people. 

342. What was <* Burr's Conspiracy " ? 

In 1806 Aaron Burr was arrested for an alleged attempt 
to set up an independent government west of the Alle- 
ghanies. He was tried for treason, but acquitted. Un- 
doubtedly his ambition was to be president of a separate 
republic, to conquer Mexico and establish a strong gov- 
ernment. 

343. J^or what is Robert Fulton noted? 

For inventing the steamboat. The first trial trip was 
made from New York to Albany in 1807. 

344. At the close of Jefferson^ s second ter7n, what was the 
political sentiment of each party? 

The bitterness existing between the United States and 
England was fast moving toward war. The Republicans, 
under the leadership of James Madison, advocated the en- 
forcement of American rights, while the Federalists were 
opposed to a war policy. 

345. When was James Madison inaugurated President? 
March 4, 1809. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 6i 

Madison's administration — 1809- 1817. 

346. What Indian disturbances occurred in the year 18 lit 
British emissaries had aroused the Indians to war, and 

Tecumseh formed a confederacy of the Northwestern tribes 
Gen, William H. Harrison was sent against theia, and at 
the battle of Tippecanoe routed them with great slaughter. 

347. What acts did England continue to commit against 
the United States, and with what result? 

They continued to impress our seamen, capture our 
ships, and even went so far as to send war vessels into our 
waters and seize our ships as prizes. The British govern- 
ment refusing to cease this offensive course, all hope of 
peace was abandoned and our people prepared for war. 

348. When was war formally declared against Great 
Britain, and how long did it last? 

War was declared June 19, 1812, and lasted two years 
and a half. 

WAR OF 1812. 

349. What was the opening event of the war of 181 2 ? 

Our government proposed to invade Canada. Accord- 
ingly Gen. Hull crossed over from Detroit; but, learning 
that the British and Indians were gathering to attack him, 
he retreated, pursued by a force of British under Gen. 
Brock and of Indians under Tecumseh. 

350. Describe the surrender of Detroit. 

As Gen. Brock marched to attack the fort, Hull seemed 
to lose all presence of mind and to fear the risk of a battle. 

He raised the white flag, surrendered Detroit with its 
garrisons and stores, and the whole of Michigan, without 
even stipulating for the honors of war. 

351. What other attempt was made to invade Canada, and 
with what result? 

In October of the same year Gen. Van Rensselaer sent 



62 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

2l small body of men across the Niagara River to attack the 
British at Queenstown Heights. The enemy were driven 
from their position and Gen. Brock was killed. Gen. Van 
Rensselaer now returned to bring over the rest of his 
army, but the militia had lost their courage and refused to 
go. The troops on the Canadian shore, thus abandoned, 
were compelled to surrender. 

352. What were some of the most important naval victories 
for the Americans in 18 12 7 

The capture of the Guerriere by the Constitution, 
August 19 ; of the Frolic by the Wasp, October 18 ; of the 
Macedonian by the United States, October 25 ; and of 
the Java by the Constitution, December 29. 

353. During this year, how many prizes were captured by 
the Americans "i 

More than three hundred. 

354. What effect did these remarkable naval victories have 
upon the people? 

They aroused great enthusiasm and inspired confidence. 
Enlistments became rapid, and the course of the govern- 
ment was generally approved. In the midst of these suc- 
cesses Madison was re-elected with but little opposition. 

1813. 

355. What was the plan of the campaign of 181J? 

Three armies were raised with the intention of invading 
Canada. The division under Harrison was sent to the 
west shore of Lake Erie ; the division under Dearborn be- 
tween Erie and Ontario ; and Hampden's division was 
stationed on the shore of Lake Champlain. 

356. What successes had these divisions t 
They accomplished but little. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 63 

357. Describe Perrfs victory on Lake Erie. 

The American fleet consisted of nine vessels carrying 
fifty-four guns, and the British fleet of six vessels with 
sixty-three guns. Perry's flag-ship, the Lawrence, engaged 
two of the heaviest vessels of che enemy, and fought until 
but eight of his men were left. Leaving the Lawrence he 
passed to the Niagara in a rowboat, and within fifteen 
minutes after mounting her deck won the victory. 

358. What daring exploit was perfor7ned by Perry 7 
While he was hastening from the Lawrence to the Ni- 
agara the enemy's guns were directed upon him ; but, al- 
though he passed within pistol-shot of the British, he 
escaped without injury. 

359. In writing to Gen. Harrison of the victory gained^ 
what memorable words did Perry use 1 

" We have met the enemy, and they are ours." 

360. What course did Harrison pursue after hearing of the 
Erie engagement^ 

Harrison was at Sandusky Bay preparing to invade Ca- 
nada, and at the news of this victory crossed the lake and 
landed at Maiden, where on his approach the British re- 
treated. They were overtaken on the banks of the Thames 
River and compelled to surrender. In this engagement 
Tecumseh was killed. 

361. What were the principal American naval victories in 
1813I 

The capture of the Peacock by the Hornet, February 24 ; 
of the Boxer by the Enterprise, September 5 ; of Barkley's 
fleet by Perry's fleet, September 10. 

362. What were the important British naval victories in 
18 13? 

The capture of the Chesapeake by the Shannon, and of 
the Argus by the Pelican. 



64 COMMON' SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

363. In what engagement, and by whom^ was used thi 
sentence, ^^ Don't give up the ship'" 7 

It was the last command of Capt. Lawrence as he was 
carried below decks during the engagement between the 
Chesapeake and Shannon. 

364. What Indian disturbances occurred, and who was 
sent to punish them ? 

The Alabama Indians arose, fell upon Fort Mims and 
massacred the garrison. Gen. Jackson took command 
and drove them from place to place ; and at Horseshoe 
Bend, where they had fortified themselves, the soldiers 
with fixed bayonets scaled their breastworks, and a des- 
perate battle ensued. Six hundred Creeks were killed. 
Those who escaped were glad to make peace on any terms. 

365. What ravages we?'e committed by Admiral Cockbum .? 
Early in the spring Cockburn began devastating the 

southern coast. In Virginia and the Carolinas he burned 
bridges, farm-houses and villages, robbed the inhabitants, 
plundered churches, and murdered the sick in their beds. 

1814. 

366. In the third invasion of Canada, what battles were 
fought i 

The Americans attacked the British at Chippewa, July 5, 
and gained a brilliant victory. A second engagement was 
at Lundy's Lane, July 25. 

367. Describe the battle of Lundy's Lane. 

It was one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Gen. 
Scott commanded the .American force of one thousand 
men, and maintained the unequal contest until dark. A 
battery located on a height was the key to the British 
position. Scott asked Col. Miller if he could take it 
''I'll try, sir," was the reply. The battery was takea 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



6S 



Three times the British rallied for its recapture, but were 
unsuccessful. This victory, though glorious to the Ameri- 
can arms, was barren of direct results. 

368. Give a description of the battle of Lake Champlain. 

In this contest the British fleet on Lake Champlain 
attacked the American squadron under Commodore 
McDonough, and was nearly annihilated. Prevost, with 
twelve thousand men, advanced against Plattsburg, but 
when he found that his ships were lost he fled, leaving his 
sick and wounded and large quantities of military stores. 

369. What were some of the ravages of the British on the 
Atlantic coast ? 

Gen. Ross marched to Washington, captured the city, 
burned the Capitol and other public buildings, with lib- 
raries and records, and several private dwellings. 

370. How did the term *^'' Hartford Convention Federalists" 
originate 1 

A convention of Federalists from the New England States 
met at Hartford, December 15, 18 14, and bitterly opposed 
the administration because of its mode of conducting the 
war. The meeting was branded with odium by the friends 
of the administration, and the name "Hartford Convention 
Federalist" was long used as a term of reproach. 

371. Where and when were the articles of peace signed i 
At Ghent, December 24, 18 14. 

1815. 

372. After this treaty, what terrible battle was fought, and 
with what loss ? 

The battle of New Orleans, January 8. Gen. Jackson 
commanded the American forces, numbering 6,000, and 
Gen. Pakenham commanded the British, numbering 12,000 



66 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

The American loss was seven killed and seven wounded 
The British loss was 2,500. 

373. What was the national debt at this time ? 
^127,000,000. 

374. At the close of Madison'' s term of office, what was the 
political feeling? 

The Federalist party was practically broken up by its 
opposition to the war, and James Monroe, the Republican 
candidate for President, was almost unanimously elected. 
He was generally beloved, and all parties united in his 
support. 

375. When was James Monroe inaugurated! 
March 4, 18 17. 

Monroe's administration — 1817-1825. 

376. What was the Missouri compromise 2 

A bill introduced by Henry Clay defining the limits of 
slavery ; it provided that all States north of latitude 36° 30' 
and all Territories west of the Mississippi should be free. 

377. What foreigner visited this country as ^'•The Nation's 
Guest"? 

La Fayette, in 1824. 

378. What was the nature of the Monroe doctrine ? 

It was a declaration by President Monroe that any at- 
tempt by a European nation to gain domination on Ameri- 
can soil would be considered by the United States as an 
unfriendly act. 

379. How was Florida obtained? 
By a treaty with Spain, in 1819. 

380. What political parties were now before the people ? 
The Whig party, which was formed in Jackson's time, 

was fast coming to the front as an opponent to the Repub 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 67 

lican party, which about this time changed its name to 
Democratic. The Whigs were in favor of a protective tar- 
iff and a general system of internal improvements. The 
Democrats opposed these measures. John Quincy Adams 
and Henry Clay were the champions of the Whigs, and 
Andrew Jackson and John C. Calhoun of the Democrats. 

381. What was the origin of the term '■'■ loco-foco" 'i 

It was a name applied to the Democratic party in 1835 
in consequence of the outbreak of a quarrel in a Democratic 
meeting, where the lights were all put out, and but for 
the loco-foco or lucifer matches which some of the mem- 
bers carried in their pockets it would have been necessary 
to adjourn the proceedings. 

382. What is a protective tariff "i 

A system of duties on imported goods for the purpose of 
encouraging home manufactures. 

383. How was John Quincy Adams elected President 
There were four candidates, and no clear majority of 

votes was obtained for any one of them. Adams was 
therefore chosen by the House of Representatives. 

J. Q. ADAMS'S ADMINISTRATION 1825-1829. 

384. What important events occurred during Adamses ad- 
ministration ? 

The first railroad was completed and the Erie Canal was 
opened. 

385. Where was the first railroad built in the United 
States, and when ? 

From Albany to Schenectady, New York, in 1833. A 
short line had been built in Maryland, in 1828. 

386. ITow long is the Erie Canal? 
About 363 miles. 



68 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

387. Why was the '■'■American System'''' (a protective tariff\ 
popular ill the East and unpopular in the South ? 

Protectian for the East meant shutting out foreign 
manufactures from a direct competition with Eastern 
manufactured products ; while in the South, agriculture 
being the chief pursuit, the people there desired manufac- 
tured goods brought to them as cheaply as possible. 

388. Why was Adams not elected to a second term of office'^ 
Because of the policy of protection advocated by his 

party. 

389. Who succeeded Adams 1 

Andrew Jackson, who was inaugurated on March 4, 
1829. 

390. When ajid by whom was the corner-stone of Bunker 
Hill Monument laid? 

By Gen. La Fayette, on the fiftieth anniversary of the 
battle, June 17, 1825. 

Jackson's administration — 1829-1837. 
-391. What was the character of fackson' s administration! 
Inflexible honesty and sturdiness of purpose. 

392. What was his idea of 'h'otation in ofice"? 
Jackson at once set out to surround himself with his 

political friends, and turn his political opponents out of 
their places under government. During his first year as 
President there were nearly seven hundred removals from 
office, not including subordinate clerks, while in the forty 
years preceding there had been but seventy-four. 

393. What was the Nullification Ordinance^ and who were 
the strongest supporters ? 

It was an ordinance adopted by the State of South 
Carolina, declaring that the tariff laws were "null and 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 69 

void," and that South Carolina would secede from the 
Union if force should be employed to collect any revenue. 
John C. Calhoun and Robert Y. Hayne were its most 
prominent supporters. 

394. What action did Jackson take? 

He issued a proclamation announcing his determination 
to execute the laws, and ordered troops under Gen. Scott 
to Charleston. 

395. What was Henry Clafs '■'• Compromise BilVl 

In order to prevent an open rupture between South 
Carolina and the government, Clay advocated a geners.1 
reduction of the tariff. This compromise was accepted by 
both sides, and quiet was restored. 

396. Who said " / would rather be right than President," 
and why did he say it ? 

It was an expression of Henry Clay when his friends 
insisted that to advocate the compromise would lessen his 
chances for the Presidency. This step demanded great 
moral courage, as it required a partial surrender of his 
cherished theories of protection and an open breach with 
many political friends. 

397. What important bill did Jackson veto during his Jirst 
term! What did he do in 18 jj in regard to the public funds 
of the United States? 

He vetoed the bill renewing the charter of the United 
States Bank. In 1833 he withdrew the public funds from 
this bank and deposited them in local banks. Owing to 
the withdrawal of this money the bank contracted its 
loans, money became scarce among the people and com- 
mercial distress followed. The measure excited violent 
clamor, but Jackson was sustained by the Democratic 
majority in the House of Representatives. When the 



yo COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

money was deposited in the local banks, it became easy to 
borrow, and speculation extended to every branch of trade. 

398. What can be said of speculation at this time? 

Land speculation was the great mania of the times. 
New cities were laid out in the wilderness, fabulous prices 
were charged for building-lots, and fortunes seemed to be 
within reach of everyone. These schemes, which existed 
only on paper, at last came to a disastrous collapse. 

399. What Indian troubles occurred during Jackson's ad- 
ministration 1 

The Black Hawk war broke out in the Northwest 
Territory. After some skirmishing the Indians were driven 
off and their leader, Black Hawk, was captured. A war 
with the Florida Seminoles, also, grew out of an attempt 
to move them, in accordance with a treaty, to lands west 
of the Mississippi. 

400. What demands were made of the French government? 

They had promised to pay ^5,000,000 for damages to 
our commerce during Napoleon's war. Jackson urged 
Congress to make reprisals on French ships. By the 
mediation of England, the account was settled and war 
prevented. 

401. What were the leading principles of the Democratic 
party in the election of Martin Van Buren ? Who was the 
Whig candidate? 

No United States Bank ; no protective tariff. Gen. 
Harrison was the Whig candidate. 

VAN buren's administration — 1837-1841. 

402. What were some of the memora,ble events during Van 
Buren's administration? 

The financial crisis of 1837, and the Patriot war. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY, 



71 



403. What were some of the causes of the financial crisis 1 

(i) The specie circular, which was issued by Jackson, 
directing that payments for public lands should be made 
in gold and silver. 

(2) The order of Congress that the surplus public 
money, amounting to about jg28, 000,000, be withdrawn 
from the local banks and distributed among the States. 
The banks could not meet this demand. 

(3) Heavy importations of European goods, which had 
to be paid for in gold and silver. 

(4) A terrible fire in New York City on the night of 
December 16, 1835, which burned six hundred valuable 
stores, and property to the amount of ^18,000,000. 

404. Mention some results of this crisis. 

Business men could not pay their debts and failures 
were an every-day occurrence. In New York City alone 
during March and April, the failures amounted to more 
than <^ioo,ooo,ooo. Property of all kinds declined in 
value. Eight of the States became wholly or partly bank- 
rupt, and even the United States government could not pay 
its indebtedness. Consternation seized all classes, confi- 
dence was destroyed and trade stood still. 

405. What was the Patriot war? 

The Canadian rebellion against England. 

406. What occurred during the Patriot war? 

This revolt stirred the sympathies of the American 
people. Meetings were held, volunteers offered and arms 
contributed. The President issued a proclamation, and 
Gen. Scott was sent to the frontier to preserve the peace. 
American filibusters took possession of Navy Island, in 
the Niagara P^iver, but were dislodged by British troops. 
The steamer Caroline was taken by British troops and 
sent, with her crew, over the Falls. 



72 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

407. What disturbance occurred between Maine and Nem 
Brunswick ] 

The people on both sides threatened to take up arms to 
support their respective claims as to the boundary lines. 
For some time there was great peril of a war with England, 
but the matter was settled during Tyler's administration 
by what is called the Ashburton treaty of 1842, Lord 
Ashburton and Daniel Webster acting as commissioners. 

408. At the close of Van Bureji's administration, what was 
the prevalent political feelingl 

The financial difficulties had weakened the faith of the 
people in the Democratic party, and Van Buren failed of 
re-election. 

409. Which party was now successful! 

The Whig party elected William Henry Harrison by an 
immense majority. 

HARRISON AND TYLER's ADMINISTRATION— 1841-1845. 

410. How long did Harrison remain in office, and who suc- 
ceeded him ? 

One month. He was succeeded by the Vice-President, 
John Tyler. 

411. Did Tyler carry out the principles of the party which 
elected him? 

He did not. 

412. What bill was vetoed by Tyler, to the great disgust oj 
the Whigs 1 

A bill for establishing a United States Bank. 

413. What was the cause of the Dorr Rebellion 1 

The people of Rhode Island organized by force under a 
new constitution and elected a man named Dorr, Governor. 
Dorr was arrested, tried for treason, and imprisoned, but 
afterwards pardoned. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



n 



414. What were the Anti-Rent difficulties 'i 

The tenants on some of the old patroon estates in New 
Vork refused to pay their rent. Assuming the disguise of 
Indians, they tarred and feathered those who paid rent, and 
even killed the officers who served warrants upon them. 

415. What occurred in relation to the Mormons'} 

They were settled at Nauvoo, 111., but, having incurred 
the enmity of the people about them, were compelled to 
leave. Joseph Smith, their leader, was killed by a mob. 

416. When was Texas admitted into the Union? Why 
was their petition at first rejected'} 

December 27, 1845. She had applied for admission in 
1836. The objections to her admission were two: ist, 
her boundary line was in dispute, and if she were annexed 
we could hardly hope to escape a war with Mexico ; 2d, 
Texas held slaves, and if admitted would add another to 
the list of slave states. 

417. Where was the first telegraph line, and what was the 
first message seiit by it? 

From Baltimore to Washington. The message is said to 
have been an announcement of the nomination of James 
K. Polk for President. 

418. When and by who?n was the cotton-gin invented? 

In 1792, by Eli Whitney; but its full value was not rec- 
ognized until the raising of cotton had become an im 
portant feature in the agriculture of the Southern States. 

419. What was the great political question on which kinged 
the campaign for President? Who were the nominees? 

The question of annexing Texas. The Whigs, who op- 
posed annexation, nominated Clay, and the Democrats, who 
favored it, nominated Polk. After a fierce contest Polk 
was elected. 



74 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOJC. 

JAMES K. folk's ADMINISTRATION 1845-1849. 

420. What were the causes which led to the 7var 
Mexico ? 

The annexation of Texas by the United States, and 
Mexico's claim to a certain tract of land. 

421. Who had command of the American army? 
General Zachary Taylor in 1846, and General Winfield 

Scott in 1847. Scott was successful in many engagements, 
entering Mexico September 14, 1847. 

422. What prominent battles were won by Taylor^ and what 
by Scott 1 

Taylor won the battles of Palo Alto on May 8, Monterey 
on September 24, and Buena Vista on February 23, 1847. 
General Scott won the battles of Vera Cruz on March 29, 
and Cerro Gordo on April 18, and captured the entire 
Mexican force in the City of Mexico. 

423. Who was John C. Fremont, and what part did he 
take in the Mexican war? 

He was sent out by the United States government with 
a small exploring party to seek a new route to Oregon. 
While in California in 1844, he received instructions from 
the government to protect the interests of the United 
States in that territory. Troops were quickly raised and 
the Mexicans were compelled to retire southward. By the 
advice of Fremont the American settlers in California de- 
clared their independence of Mexico, July 5, 1846. 

424. What were the terms of peace between the United 
States and Mexico ? 

A withdrawal of United States troops ; that Mexico 
should cede to the United States the territories of New 
Mexico and Upper California for the sum of 1 15,000,000, 
and pay ^3,500, 000 due to American claimants. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY, 



75 



425. What was the Wibnot Proviso 1 

David Wilmot offered in Congress, August, 1846, a bill for- 
bidding slavery in any territory which should be acquired 
through the Mexican war. This was designed to prohibit 
slavery in the territory of Texas. It excited violent debate, 
but did not become a law. 

426. When was gold discovered in California? 

In February, 1848, by Sutter while digging in a mill-race 
in the Sacramento Valley. 

427. What political parties were now in the field, and who 
were nominated by them ] 

There were three parties. The Whigs nominated General 
Taylor; the Democrats, Lewis Cass, while the Free-soilers, 
who were opposed to the extension of slavery, and believed 
that, as Taylor was a slave-holder, the principle of slavery 
would be fostered by him, formed a new party and nomin- 
ated Martin Van Buren. Taylor was elected. 

TAYLOR AND FILLMORE'S ADMINISTRATION 1849— 1853. 

428. Ifow lo7ig was Taylor in office? 

He was inaugurated President March 4, 1849, and died 
July 9, 1850, after an illness of only five days. 

429. What important question arose at the beginning of 
Taylor's administration ? 

California applied for admission to the Union as af ree State. 
This brought the question of slavery into intense agitation, 
and for a time it seemed as though a terrible crisis was at 
hand. 

430. What was the Omnibus Bill ? 

The compromise of 1850, presented by Henry Clay, and 
proposing (i) that California should come in as a free 
State; (2) that the territories of Utah and New Mexico 
should be formed without any provision concerning slavery; 



76 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOR. 

(3) that Texas should be paid ^10,000,000 to give up its 
claim on the territory of New Mexico; (4) that the slave 
trade should be prohibited in the District of Columbia; 
and (5) that a Fugitive Slave Law should be enacted. 

431. Who was the Gj-eat Pacificator 1 
Henry Clay, because he was ever ready to surrender part 

of his political policy in order to establish peace. 

432. What was the Fugitive Slave Law ? 

It provided for the return of runaway slaves to their 
owners, even if they had escaped to a free State. 

433. What is to be said of the invasion of Cuba? 

About five hundred adventurers undertook the annexa- 
tion of Cuba to the United States, but were defeated, and 
Lopez, the leader, was garrotted at Havana in 185 1. 

434. What two great me?i died in 18^2? 
Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. 

435. Who were the candidates in the next Presidential 
election, and what policies did the parties advocate! 

The Democrats and Whigs declared that they stood by 
the provisions of the Omnibus Bill, but the Free-soilers 
were outspoken against it. Franklin Pierce, the Democratic 
nominee, was elected by a large majority. Gen. Scott was 
the Whig candidate. 

Pierce's administration — 1853-1857. 

436. What was the Kansas-Nebraska BiWi Who pre- 
sented it ? 

Its effect was to repeal the Missouri Compromise by 
allowing the people of each Territory to decide whether it 
should be bond or free. It was proposed by Stephen A. 
Douglas, and had direct relation to the Territories of Kan- 
sas and Nebraska. It became a law in May, 1854. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



11 



437. How did this bill affect the inhabitants of Kansas 1 
A bitter contest arose between the pro-slavery and anti- 
slavery men. Each party sent bodies of armed emigrants 
to the Territory. Disturbances arose, mobs were formed,, 
houses were attacked and pillaged, citizens were murdered 
in cold blood, and for several years Kansas was the scene 
of lawless violence. 

438. What was the Gadsden Purchase! 

A dispute arose between the United States and Mexico 
in regard to the boundary line, and Gen. Gadsden nego- 
tiated a settlement, whereby ^10,000,000 was paid to 
Mexico for additional territory along the Gila River. 

439. What treaty was made with Japan l 
Commodore Matthew Perry's expedition to Japan in 1854 

resulted in a treaty by which that country opened two 
ports to the merchants of the United States. 

44c. What was then the political situation] Who were 
nominated ? 

The compromises of 1820 and 1850 being now abolished, 
the slave question became the turning-point of the election. 
New party lines were drawn to meet this issue. The 
Whig party now ceased to exist, and the Republican party, 
absorbing all who opposed the extension of slavery, nom- 
inated John C. Fremont, who carried eleven States. The 
Democratic party nominated James Buchanan, who was 
elected. The Know-Nothing, or American party, organized 
to resist the influence of foreigners, carried Maryland, but 
its existence was of short duration. Its motto was "Amer- 
ica for Americans." 

Buchanan's administration — 1857-1861. 
441. What was the Dred Scott Decisioii ? 

The Supreme Court of the United States- declared that 
slave-owners might take their slaves into any State in the 



•jS COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Union without forfeiting authority over them. Dred Scott 
was a slave, and claimed freedom on the ground that he 
had been taken into free territory. 

442. What did John Browfi attempt to do? 

Being an ardent lover of negro freedom, Brown con- 
ceived the wild scheme of taking the law into his own hands 
and liberating the slaves. He seized the United States 
arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in 1859, and pro- 
claimed freedom to all the slaves in the neighborhood. 
He was taken captive and hanged. 

443. In the elections of i860, who were ca7ididates for the 
Presidency ? 

Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, John C. Breckin- 
ridge and John Bell. 

444. What did each of the parties advocate ? 

The Lincoln party held, that while slavery must be pro- 
tected where it was, it ought not to be carried into any 
free territory. 

The Douglas party favored squatter sovereignty, that is, 
the right of each State to decide whether it should exclude 
or permit slavery. 

The Breckinridge party claimed that any citizen had a 
right to migrate to any territory, taking with him any- 
thing that was property, including slaves, and that Congress 
was bound to protect the rights of slave-holders every- 
where. 

The Bell party had for its motto: "The Constitution of 
the country, the Union of the States and the enforcement 
of the laws." 

445. What were the causes which led to the civil war? 
The, agitation of the slavery question was the chief cause. 

The Southern States, believing they had a right to secede 
from the Union, seceded, but the Federal government 
denying that right, raised arnvies and enforced its authority 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



79 



446. Which State first passed an ordinance of secession^ 
South Carolina, December 20, i860. 

447. What other States followed this example? 
Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, 

Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee 

448. What government was formed by these States^ and 
when and where was it organized ? 

The Confederate States of America, and the form of 
government was similar to the government of the United 
States. On February 4, 1861, a convention of the seceded 
States met at Montgomery, Alabama, and there organized 
the Confederacy. 

449. Who was elected its President, and when was he in- 
augurated? 

Jefferson Davis, who was inaugurated February 4, 1861. 

Lincoln's administration — 1861. 

450. What event signalized the commencement of the war? 
The bombardment of Fort Sumter, in the harbor of 

Charleston, S.C. 

451. What was the result of this bombardment? 

Fort Sumter fell into the hands of the Confederates 
under Beauregard, April 14, 1861. Maj. Anderson, the 
commander of Sumter, was permitted to go north with his 
men. The effect of this event was electrical. It unified 
the North and also the South. Party lines vanished. 
The Union men at the South were borne into secession, 
while the Republicans and Democrats at the North com- 
bined to support the government. The war spirit swept 
over the country like wild-fire. 

452. What did Lincoln do in regard to troops ? 

He issued a requisition for 75,000 troops, and soon 
afterward a call for 300,000 volunteers. 



So COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

453. Where was the frsi blood shed in this war? 

In Baltimore, April 19, 1861, a mob of Confederate 
sympatliizers attacked the Sixth Massachusetts regiment 
on its way to Washington, 

454. What valuable stores were seized by the Confederates? 
They seized the United States armory at Harper's Ferry 

and the navy yard at Norfolk. At the latter place there 
were twelve ships of war, two thousand cannon, two hun- 
dred and fifty thousand pounds of gunpowder, and great 
quantities of shot and shell. 

455. H07111 did Colonel Elmer E. Ells7vorth meet his death l 

After the seizure of Alexandria, Va., Ellsworth, seeing 
the Confederate flag still flying from the roof of a hotel, 
went up and tore it down. As he descended he was shot 
at the foot of the stairs by the landlord, named Jackson, 
who in turn fell at the hands of Private Brownell. 

456. When was the battle of Bull Run fought^ and with 
what result / 

July 21, 1861, in Northern Virginia. Gen. McDowell, 
in command of the Federals, made the attack, and way 
defeated after a severe engagement. 

457. What effect had this defeat on the Northern people? 

At first they were much disappointed and discouraged ; 
then came a renewed determination. Congress voted 
1500,000,000 and five hundred thousand men, and Gen. 
McClellan was appointed to the command of the Army of 
the Potomac. 

458. Give ati account of the battle of Ball's Bluff. 

A party of 2,000 Federals crossed the Potomac at Ball's 
Bluff. They were attacked and forced down the slippery, 
clayey bluff, from fifty to one hundred and fifty feet high, 
to the river below, where, in trying to escape, many were 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 8 1 

drowned, some were shot, and scarcely half their number 
reached the other bank. 

459. What commanding officer was killed in this battled 
CoL Baker, United States Senator from Oregon. 

460. What was the co7iditio?i of Missouri 'i 

The State refused to pass an ordinance of secession, yet 
an effort was made to preserve an armed neutrality. Lyon 
foiled this attempt. Gen. Sigel was defeated in an en- 
gagement at Carthage. Gen. Lyon now took command, 
and was compelled either to fight superior forces or aban- 
don that part of the State. He chose to fight. 

461. Where and when was General Lyon killedi 

At Wilson's Creek, August 10, 1861, while gallantly lead- 
ing a bayonet charge. 

462. What proclamation was issued by Davis, and what 
was Lincoln's response ? 

Davis issued a proclamation offering to commission 
privateers. Lincoln declared a blockade of the Southern 
ports. 

463. At the beginning of the year j86i, how many vessels 
ivere in the United States Navy ? How many were there ai 
the close of the year 1 

One on the Northern coast, and 42 in the whole United 
States Navy. At the close of the year there were 264. 

464. What did England and France do by way of encour- 
aging the Confederacy 1 

They acknowledged the Confederates as belligerentSj 
thus placing them on the same footing with the supporters 
of the government. 

465. Who were fames M. Mason andfohn Slide II? 
Southern commissioners sent to England and France ta 

plead the cause of the Confederacy. 



82 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

466. What was the Trent Affair 'i 

The commissioners were taken forcibly from the British 
steamer Trent by Capt. Wilkes of the United States Navy 
and brought back to the United States. This produced 
much excitement in England. The United States govern- 
ment, however, promptly disavowed the act and released 
the commissioners. 

467. When did Lieutenatit-General Scott retire from active 
service, and who succeeded him ? 

On the ist of November, 1861, on account of age and 
physical infirmities. He was succeeded by Major-General 
George B. McClellan. 

468. Give a general review of the first year of the luar. 
The large ships and stores at Harper's Ferry and 

Norfolk were captured by the Confederates. They were 
successful in the two great battles of the year, Bull Run 
and Wilson's Creek ; also in the minor engagements at 
Big Bethel, Carthage, Lexington, Belmont and Ball's Bluff. 
The Union forces had saved Fort Pickens and Fortress 
Monroe, and captured the forts at Hatteras Inlet and Port 
Royal. They had also gained victories at Philippi, Rich 
Mountain, Boonsville, Carrick's Ford, Cheat Mountain 
and Dranesville. West Virginia, Maryland and Missouri 
were saved to the Union. Kentucky refused to secede. 

1862. 

469. What was the plan for the campaign of 1862 ? 

On the part of the North there were three main objects: 
the opening of the Mississippi, the blockade of the South- 
ern ports and the capture of Richmond. 

470. What was the size of each army? What successes 
had the Union forces early in this year 'i 

The Union forces numbered about 500,000 ; the Con- 
federate about 350,000. Gen. Thomas won an engagement 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 83 

at Mills Springs, and Commodore Foote and Gen. Grant 
captured Forts Henry and Donelson in Northern Ten- 
nessee. 

471. When and to whom did Forts Heniy and Donelsoti 
surrender ? 

Fort Henry was evacuated February 6, after a bombard- 
ment of one hour by Commodore Foote. Gen. Grant with 
his army intended to cut off the retreat, but the garrison 
escaped to Fort Donelson. The fleet now went back to 
the Ohio River and ascended the Cumberland, while Grant 
crossed to co-operate in an attack on Fort Donelson, 
which was captured, with fifteen thousand men, after three 
days' hard fighting. 

472. What was now the plan of operations ? 

The Confederates fell back to Corinth, the great railroad 
centre of Mississippi and Tennessee, where their forces 
were gradually collected under the command of Gens. 
Johnston and Beauregard, while Gen. Buell at once occu- 
pied Nashville. The Union army ascended the Tennessee 
to Pittsburg Landing. Grant was placed in command 
and Buell ordered to reinforce him. The Confederates 
determined to rout Grant's army before the arrival of Buell. 

473. Whefi was the battle of Shiloh fought, and who com- 
manded'} 

On the 6th and 7th of April. Gen. Grant commanded 
the Federal army and Gen. Beauregard the Confederate 
forces. 

474. Describe the battle of Shiloh. 

On Sunday morning, April 6, Johnston surprised the 
Union forces by a desperate assault. The Federals, hav- 
ing no time to form into order of battle, fought where 
they happened to stand, slowly yielding, and for twelve 
hours they obstinately disputed every inch of the way 



84 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

At last, pushed to the very brink of the Cumberland River, 
Grant massed his artillery and gathered around it the 
fragments for the final stand. By the aid of the gunboats 
below and Buell's reinforcements the tide of battle was 
stayed, and the Confederates fell back. They possessed- 
however, the Union camps, three thousand prisoners, 
thirty flags and immense stores ; but they had lost their 
commander, Gen. Johnston. The next morning the Con- 
federates were driven from the field. 

475. Where is Island No. 10, and whe?i and by whom was 
it captu?'ed? 

In the Mississippi River, between Kentucky and Mis- 
souri. It was taken by Commodore Foote and Gen. Pope, 
April 7. 

476. When was the battle of Perryville fought, and who 
were the commanders ? 

October 8, 1862. Gen. Bragg commanded the Con- 
federates, Gen. Buell the Union troops. 

477. When was the battle of Murfreesboro fought, and 
which army was victorious ? 

On December 31, 1862, Gen. Bragg, with 60,000 troops, 
attacked the Union forces under Gen. Rosecrans, and was 
repulsed. On January 2 the battle was renewed, but Bragg, 
being unsuccessful, retreated. This was one of the bloodiest 
contests of the war. The loss was one-fourth of the num- 
ber engaged, 

478. What effect had this battle i 

The Confederates gave up the attempt to recover Ken- 
tucky. 

479. What was the plan of the first expedition agains!^ 
Vicksburg, and how did it terminate ? 

Grant was to move along the Mississippi Central rail- 
road, while Sherman was to descend the river from Mem 



UNITED STATE 6 HISTORY. 



8S 



phis with the gunboats under Porter. The plan was 
spoiled by Van Dorn's cavalry dash, which destroyed 
Grant's depot of supplies at Holly Springs. Sherman, 
ignorant of what had happened, pushed on and made an 
attack on Chickasaw Bayou, north of Vicksburg. After 
suffering a bloody repulse and hearing of Grant's mis- 
fortune, he fell back. 

480. What fighting ocairred in Missouri 1 

The Union General Curtis having command, attacked 
the Confederate General Price and drove him out of Mis- 
souri into Arkansas. Van Dorn now taking command, a 
desperate battle was fought at Pea Ridge, March 7 and 8, 
1862, in which Van Dorn was totally defeated. 

WAR ON THE SEA AND ON THE COAST. 

481. Describe the capture of New Orleans. 

The attempt was made with a fleet of forty-four vessels 
under Commodore Farragut, and 8,000 troops under Gen 
Butler. Mortar-boats for six days stormed the outer de^ 
fenses, but with little effect. Farragut then boldly resolved 
to carry the fleet past the defenses to New Orleans. At 
three o'clock in the morning, April 24, they advanced, run- 
ning a fearful gauntlet of shot and shell and flaines from the 
fire-rafts. They now encountered the Confederate fleet of 
thirty armed steamers, twelve of which were destroj'^ed. 
New Orleans soon surrendered. 

482. After the capture of New Orleans, what course did 
ConiJJiodore Farragut pursue ? 

He ascended the river, took possession of Baton Rouge 
and Natchez, and, running the batteries of Vicksburg, 
joined the Union fleet above. 

483. What was gained by the capture of Roanoke Island^ 
It gave control to the outer defenses of Norfolk. It 

opened two sounds, eight rivers, four canals and two rail- 



86 COMMOJSr SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK: 

roads. It was an excellent rendezvous for ships, and ex- 
posed a large country to attack. 

484. What vessels were sunk by the Merrimack 
The Cumberland and the Congress on March 8. 

485. Describe the encounter between the Merrimac and 
the Monitor. 

The morning after the ravages of the Merrimac the 
Monitor made her appearance and began the attack. The 
Merrimac, confident of success, poured in a broadside, but 
her balls glanced harmlessly off the Monitor's turret, or 
broke and fell to pieces on the deck. The battle now be- 
came a desperate conflict, the vessels fighting side by side, 
iron rasping on iron. Five times the Merrimac strove to 
crush her antagonist by running her huge iron beak 
against the Monitor's side. At each dash her prow would 
rise above the water, and at the same instant heavy volleys 
from the Monitor would crash against the exposed parts. 
In this manner the Merrimac received injuries so severe 
chat she gave up the contest and steamed back to Norforlk 
thoroughly disabled. 

486. What would undoubtedly have been the final result ij 
the Merri7nac had been successful "i 

She could have entered any port of the United States, 
destroyed cities, opened the blockade, and undoubtedly 
have secured recognition of the independence of the Con- 
federacy by European nations. On this battle hinged the 
fate of the war. 

487. What became of the Merrimac and the Monitor 2 
Just before the capture of Norfolk she was sunk by the 

Confederacy. The Monitor sunk, in a storm off Cape 
Hatter as. 

488. Who was fohn Morgatt 1 

Morgan was the noted leader of a band of guerrillas and 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



87 



raiders in Tennessee. He repeatedly rode through Ken- 
tucky spreading terror in his path, burning towns, levying 
tribute, destroying telegraphs and railroads, and carrying 
off prisoners. In one raid alone in Ohio he boasted of 
having taken seventeen towns and cities, with a. very large 
amount of army stores. 

489. Who was Qu autre 11 2 

Quantrell was another famous guerrilla, although his 
raids were not so extensive as those of Morgan. 

WAR IN THE EAST. 

490. In the war in the £ast, what was the objective point 2 
Richmond. 

491. Who commafided in the Peninsular Campaign i 
Gen. McClellan. 

492. Describe the siege of York town. 

Gen. Magruder, with only about 5,000 men, held such 
strong defenses along a line of thirteen miles that Gen. 
McClellan was brought to a stop. Heavy guns were ordered 
from Washington, but as the siege began Magruder quietly 
withdrew, having delayed the Union army a month. 

493. When was the battle of Williamsburg fought 7 

On May 5 Gen. Hooker, with his division, maintained the 
contest for nine hours ; then, being reinforced, he carried 
the works, and the pursuit was continued to within seven 
miles of Richmond. 

494. What were McClellan's plans, and how were they 
foiled? 

McDowell, with 30,000 men, was to meet him near Han- 
over Court House, and begin the siege of Richmond ; but 
Gen. Johnston, suspecting this movement, ordered Gen. 
Jackson to move up the Shenandoah Valley and threaten 
Washington. 



88 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

495. What were the movements of Stonewall Jackson / 
After being reinforced by Gen. Ewell's division of 

10,000 men, Jackson hurried down the valley and drove 
Banks across the Potomac. The excitement in Washington 
was intense. The President took military possession of all 
the railroads, called upon the Governors of loyal States to 
send militia to the defense of the capital, and ordered Fre- 
mont at Franklin, Banks at Harper's Ferry, and McDowell 
at Fredericksburg to capture Jackson. Then Jackson 
retreated^ burning bridges as he passed, and escaped. 

496. What was the effect of these movements ? 

With 15,000 men, Jackson had occupied the attention of 
three major-generals and 60,000 men, prevented McDowell's 
junction with McClellan and saved Richmond. 

497. While these events were in progress in the Shenandoah 
Valley, what were the movements of McClellan ? 

McClellan had pushed his left wing across the Chicka- 
hominy. Before he could unite his army, a terrible storm 
flooded the swamps, and Chickahominy Creek became a 
broad river. Johnston, seeing the exposed wing, began an 
attack. He was severely wounded in this fight. The next 
day the Confederates were repulsed in great disorder. 

498. After the battle of Fair Oaks, what course did 
McClellan pursue ? 

Jackson making his appearance near Hanover Court 
House, McClellan resolved to change his base of supplies 
to the James River. A series of battles followed, lasting 
seven days. The most important were those of Mechanics- 
ville, Gaines's Mill, Savage's Station, Frazier's Farm and 
Malvern Hill. In this retreat the army fought by day to 
give time for the passage of baggage trains, and fell back 
at night to new positions. At Malvern Hill Lee received 
so bloody a check that he pressed no farther. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY 8g 

499. What is the distance from Fair Oaks to the James 
River 1 

Seventeen miles. 

500. What was the effect of this campaign ? 

The North was as much discouraged as the South was 
elated. Lincoln called for 300,000 troops. 

501. What orders did McClellan now receive "i 

To transfer his army to Aequia Creek, and put it undei 
the command of Gen. Pope. 

502. Describe Lee^s campaign against Pope. 

After some manoeuvering, Pope was compelled to fight 
the entire Confederate army on the old battle-field of 
Bull Run. The shattered remains of the Army of the 
Potomac retreated and took refuge within the fortifications 
at Washington. 

503. What was the effect of this campaign ? 

The Union army lost 30,000 men and a vast quantity of 
supplies. The capital was in great danger, with a vic- 
torious enemy outside and only broken battalions within. 

504. What did Lee do? 

He crossed the Potomac and entered Maryland. 

505. Who assumed command of the Army of the Potomac 
after Pope^s defeat ? 

Gen. McClellan. 

506. What notable battle was fought soon after i 
The battle of Antietam, September 17. 

507. After these battles, 7vhat course did Lee pursue 2 
He retreated across the Potomac. 

508. What was the effect of Lee's defeat 1 

The North was saved from invasion and Washingtoi 
from attack. 



go COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

509. Why was McClellan again superseded^ and by whom 'i 
For the slowness of his movements in pursuing the re- 
treating army. Gen. Burnside took command. 

510. When was the battle of Fredericksburg fought, and 
with what result? 

On December 13. The Union army was defeated with a 
loss of 12,000 men. 

511. What were the Confederate victories during this year? 

Jackson's in the Shenandoah Valley; Lee's in the Pen- 
insular campaign; the successful campaign against Pope; 
Bragg's raid in Kentucky; the battles of Cedar Mountain, 
Chickasaw Bluff and Fredericksburg. 

512. What were the Union victories? 

The capture of Forts Henry, Donelson, Pulaski, Macon, 
Jackson, St. Phillip, Island No. 10, New Orleans, Roanoke 
Island, Newbern, Yorktown, Norfolk, Memphis, and the 
opening of the Misssippi to Vicksburg. Also the battles 
of Pea Ridge, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, South Mountain, 
Antietam, luka, Corinth and Murfreesboro and the silencing 
of the Merrimac. 

513. What terrible Indian massacre occurred? 

An outbreak in Minnesota, Iowa and Dakota. More 
than seven hundred whites were slain, and many thousands 
driven from their homes. Col. Sibley routed the Indians 
and took five hundred prisoners. Thirty-nine were hanged 
on one scaffold at Mankato, Minn., December 26. 

1863. 

514. What was the war plan 0/ i86j, and how large was 
the force engaged? 

The plan was about the same as that of the preceding 
year. The Union force was some 700,000, and the Con- 
federate 350,000. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. Oj 

515. When was the Emancipatio7i Proclamation issued'^ 
January i, 1863. 

516. Describe the second expedition against Vicksburg. 

After several weeks of fruitless effort on the north side 
of Vicksburg, Grant marched down the west bank of the 
river and crossed below the city. Between May i and 18 
he defeated the Confederates at Fort Gibson, Jackson, 
Champion Hills, and Big Black River, and within seven- 
teen days after he had landed Pemberton's army was shut 
up within the intrenchments of Vicksburg. After three 
desperate assaults the Union troops threw up intrench- 
ments and began undermining the city. The siege lasted 
forty-seven days. 

517. When did Vicksburg siirrender ? 
On the 4th of July. 

518. What effect had this campaigfi 2 

The Confederates lost the cities of Vicksburg and Jack- 
son, with 37,000 prisoners and immense stores, and 1 0,00c 
of their troops killed and wounded. On the fall of Vicks- 
burg, Port Hudson surrendered to Banks. The Mississippi 
was thus opened to the Gulf. 

519. After the battle of Murfreesboro, 7a hat were the 
movements in Teftnessee ? 

Little occurred until June, when Rosecrans, with 60,000 
men, marched against Bragg and compelled him to evac- 
uate Chattanooga. On September 8, 19 and 20 the battle of 
Chickamauga was fought. The Union army was defeated 
and withdrew to Chattanooga, while Bragg occupied the 
heights commanding the city, and threatened it with star 
vation. 

520. What was noiu the feeling in the North in regard to 
the Army of the Cumberland 1 

One of great anxiety. The defeat of the Army of the 



^i COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Cumberland made it seem but a matter of time when the 
Confederacy would be finally victorious. 

521. By what means was the Army of the Tennessee re- 
lieved'} 

Grant was appointed to succeed Rosecrans, and reliei 
was obtained by Hooker's arrival with two corps from the 
Army of the Potomac, while Sherman hastened by forcea 
marches from luka 200 miles away. 

522. Where was Hooker, and how did he so suddenly 
appear before the Confederate army at Chattanooga i 

He was in Virginia. His army, 23,000 strong, came by 
rail in seven days, a distance of 1,200 miles. 

523. Describe the battles of Lookout Mountain atid Mis- 
sionary Ridge. 

The first movement was made by Gen. Thomas, who 
captured Orchard Knob on November 23. The following 
day Hooker charged the fortifications of Lookout Mountain. 
The Union forces carried the heights and swept over the 
crest, driving the enemy before them. The next morning 
Hooker advanced on the south of Missionary Ridge. 
Sherman was engaged on the northern flank. Grant, from 
his position on Orchard Knob, saw the effect of Sherman's 
assaults. The Confederate line in front of him was weak- 
ening, and with a bold movement Thomas's corps was 
launched against its centre. The orders were to take the 
rifle-pits at the foot of Missionary Ridge, then halt and re- 
form; but in the excitement of success officers and men 
pushed forward and up the ascent. Grant caught the in- 
spiration, and the entire force was ordered to engage in the 
conflict in one grand charge. Up they went, over rocks and 
chasms, all lines broken in the eagerness to reach the summit. 
Without firing a shot, and heedless of the tempest of mis 
siles descending upon them, they gained the crest, captured 
the guns and turned them upon the retreating foe. That 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



93 



night the glow of the Federal camp-fires along the heights 
about Chattanooga crowned the most brilliant of Grant's 
achievements and the most picturesque of the battles of the 
war. This fight has become famous as the "battle above 
the clouds." 

524. What effect had these successes 1 

The Union forces possessed Chattanooga, Bragg's army 
was routed and the General resigned. The victories gave 
control of East Tennessee, and furnished an open doorway 
by which the Union army gained easy access to Virginia, 
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. 

525. After the battle of Fredericksburg, who took command 
of the Army of the Potomac 'i 

Gen. Joseph Hooker, on January 26. 

526. When was the battle of Chancellorsville fought 1 

On May 2 and 3. The Union army was defeated with 
great loss. 

527. In this battle, what noted Confederate officer was 
killed 1 

"Stonewall" Jackson. While returning from a reconnois- 
sance at the front, he was fired upon by his own men, who 
mistook his escort for Federal cavalry. 

528. Who succeeded Hooker after the battle of Chance llors- 
ville 1 

Gen. George Meade. 

529. What were the movements of Lee 1 

With the flower of the Confederate army he crossed the 
Potomac, passed through Maryland, entered Pennsylvania, 
and proceeded within four miles of Harrisburg. 

530. How was his progress arrested? 

By the battle of Gettysburg, which was fought the ist 



94 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 



2d and 3d of July, Gen. Meade commanding the Union 
forces. Gen. Lee retreated to Virginia. 

531. At the battle of Gettysburg, what were the casualties 1 
The Union loss was 23,000; the Confederate, 36,000. 

532. The loss of Vicksburg and the battle of Gettysburg 
had what effect on the Confederacy ? 

These losses and defeats turned the point of war, and the 
fortunes of the Confederacy began to wane. 

533. How did Admiral Dupont attempt to take Charles- 
ton^ 

Having confidence in the ability of the iron-clads to resist 
cannon-balls, he attempted to run the fortifications and 
force his way up to the city. The attempt was a disastrous 
failure. 

534. What were the Confederate successes for the year 
1863? 

The Confederates gained the great battles of Chickamauga 
and Chancellorsville. The Union cause in Texas was de- 
pressed. Galveston was seized and every attack on Charles- 
ton successfully resisted. 

535. What were the Union successes! 

The Federals took Vicksburg and Port Hudson, and 
won the battles of Chattanooga and Gettysburg. Arkan- 
sas, East Tennessee, large parts of Louisiana and Missis- 
sippi and some parts of Texas were held by Union 
troops. 

536. When was the Draft Riot 1 

Congress in 1863 passed a Conscription Act, and 
under this act the President ordered a draft for 300,000 
men. This led to a three days' riot in New York City, 
beginning on July 13, and during which 150 lives were lost 
sind a very large amount of property was destroyedc 



UNITED STATES HISTORY, 



95 



1864. 

537. Describe the raid made by General Judson Kilpatrick 

at the beginning of 1864. 

On the 28th of February Kilpatrick made a bold and 
successful raid upon the exterior defenses of Richmond. 
Railroad tracks were torn up, telegraph wires cut, six large 
grist mills were destroyed and heavy damage was done. 
At a point three miles from Richmond he found the enemy's 
works too strong to be assailed by a force of cavalry and 
withdrew, camping that night within six miles of the Con- 
federate capital. 

538. What was accomplished by this expedition f 

Many miles of railroad were cut, several hundred pris- 
oners were captured, and ^7,000,000 worth of property was 
destroyed. 

539. What befell Colonel Dahlgren and his command? 
While attempting to return, after destroying the grist 

mills on the James River Canal, Dahlgren fell into an 
ambush of the enemy and was killed. His remains were 
treated with indignity. 

540. When was General Grant appointed Lieutenant- 
General of the Union Army f 

March 3, 1864. 

541. Where was the main strength of the Confederacy f 

It lay in the armies of Robert E. Lee in Virginia and 
Joseph E. Johnston in Georgia. 

542. What plan was now adopted? 

Grant was to march against Lee, and Sherman to attack 
Johnston and sweep through to the coast. 

543. Describe Sherman^ s advance upon Atlanta. 

He started with a force of 100,000 men. For one hun< 
dred miles there was continuous skirmishing. Sherman 



96 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

would drive Jonnston into a stronghold, and then with 
consummate skill would outflank him, when Johnston with 
equal skill would retreat to a new post and prepare to 
meet his opponent again. Several bloody battles were 
fought, and finally Johnston retired on July 10 to the 
Intrenchments of Atlanta. Hood was now put in com- 
mand. 

544. When did Atlanta surrender 1 
September 2, 1864. 

545. What had been the loss during this campaign of four 
tnonths'' fighting 1 

There had been ten pitched battles and scores of minor 
engagements, at a cost to the Union army of 30,000 and 
to the Confederacy of about 40,000 men. 

546. What movement was made by Hood, and why? 

He turned to invade Tennessee, with the expectation 
that Sherman would follow him, and that thus Georgia 
would be saved from invasion. 

547. What became of Hood's army? 

Hood marched against Gens. Thomas and Schofield at 
Nashville. After severe fighting, Thomas withdrew from 
the fortifications and remained two weeks. He then sud- 
denly burst forth and drove the Confederate army out of 
its intrenchments and into headlong flight. It was com- 
pletely demoralized, and, for further use, destroyed. 

548. Describe Sherman's ^^ March to the Sea," after the 
burning of Atlanta. 

Hood being moved from his path, there was little to 
impede his progress. With 60,000 troops, in five weeks 
he marched three hundred miles, and then captured Sa- 
vannah. 

549. What effect had this march on Georgia? 

A fertile region, sixty miles wide and three hundred 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



97 



miles long, was devastated, and three hundred miles of 
railroad were destroyed. 

550. At the time of Grant's move towards Richmond^ what 
battles were fought? 

The battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania. 

551. Describe the battle of the Wilderness. 

After crossing the Rapidan, the Union army plunged 
into the Wilderness, where it was attacked on May 5, by 
the Confederate army. In the woods, dense with smoke, 
this strangest of battles was fought. The third day both 
armies, worn out by the desperate struggle, remained in 
their intrenchments. Grant lost 20,000 men, Lee 10,000. 

552. What did Grant do^ and what battle followed! 

He pushed his army by the Confederate right flank 
towards Spottsylvania Court House, where for five days, 
from May 8 to 12, terrible fighting occurred. Ten thousand 
men fell on each side. 

553. Where was the next engagement? 

Grant now concluded to try the flank movement again, 
and pushed forward to Cold Harbor, a short distance from 
Richmond. Lee hastened by a shorter route, and arrived 
in time to prepare for defense. Early on the morning of 
June 4 the Union army made an assault on Cold Harbor. 
Twenty minutes after the first shot was fired, fully ten 
thousand Union men were killed or wounded, while the 
enemy's loss was little over one thousand. 

554. What was the result of the attack on Petersburg! 
The Confederate works could not be carried, so Grant 

threw up intrenchments, and prepared for a siege of 
Richmond. 

555. What was the loss in this campaign 1 

The Union army lost 70,000. and the Confederates 

40,000. 



98 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

556. What memorable words were tvritten by General 
Grant to the President on the nth of May, 1864 ? 

" I propose to fight it out on this line, if it takes all 
summer." 

557. During the siege of Richmond, what two important 
events occurred i 

The Mine Explosion at Petersburg, Va., and the capture 
of the Weldon Railroad. 

558. What was the result of the mine explosion? 

A mine was dug beneath a strong Confederate fort, and 
was fired with a blast of 8,000 pounds of powder. The 
fort and garrison were destroyed. At the same time the 
Union artillery opened along the line, and an assaulting 
column rushed forward ; but it stopped in the crater 
produced by the explosion. The Confederates, rallying, 
turned their artillery upon the mass of men within the 
demolished fort, and about 4,000 were lost before the rest 
could retreat to the Union lines. This is known as the 
" Battle of the Crater." 

559. What raids were made by General Early? 

Early entered Maryland, threatened Washington and 
Baltimore, defeated Wallace, and then withdrew to Vir- 
ginia. In the same month — July — he crossed into 
Pennsylvania, his troops setting fire to Chambersburg ; 
but after that he immediately withdrew. 

560. What was secured by these expeditions ? 

A vast amount of stores, five thousand horses, and a 
withdrawal of part of Grant's army from before Petersburg. 

561. What did General Sheridan do? 

In September, Sheridan defeated Early at Winchester 
and Fisher's Hill, and in a week destroyed half the enemy 
and put the rest to flight. Early returned with reinforce- 
ments, and, under cover of a dense fog, surprised Sheri- 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



99 



dan's army at Cedar Creek, October 19, and drove it back 
in confusion. At this critical moment Sheridan arrived 
from Winchester, "twenty miles away," checked the re- 
treating columns, turned them " about face " and won the 
battle. 

562. What was the effect of Sheridan's successes! 

This was the most .brilliant campaign of the war. In 
one month Sheridan had virtually annihilated Early's army. 
His own loss was 17,000. 

563. Describe the Red River expedition. 

Gen. Banks was sent up the Red River to loosen the 
Confederate grasp on that region and Texas. This cam- 
paign resulted in a Confederate triumph. Banks lost 
5,000 men, 18 guns, and large supplies. 

564. When was the massacre of Fort Pillow^ Ky.l 

On April 12. The Confederates were maddened by 
the sight of negro troops opposing them, and a terrible 
massacre followed. 

565. What brilliant naval victory did Admiral Farragut 
achieve! 

The capture of Mobile Harbor, August 5. He closed 
it against blockade-runners. The city of Mobile was not 
captured until April 12, 1865. 

566. Describe the expedition against Fort Fisher. 

Fort Fisher defended the Harbor of Wilmington, N.C. 
The expedition consisted of seventy vessels under Com- 
modore Porter, and a land force under Gen. Butler. After 
a fierce bombardment, Dec. 24 and 25, Butler decided 
that the fort could not be taken by assault, and the army 
returned to Fortress Monroe. Commodore Porter asked 
for another trial. The same troops were seac back under 
Gen. Terry. By a series of trenches a column of troops 
worked themselves up to within two hundred yards of the 



too COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

fortifications. At the word they rushed forward and burst 
into the fort. The hand-to-hand conflict within lasted for 
hours. Late at night the garrison surrendered, on Jan- 
uary 15, 1865. 

567. What occun-ed at St. Albans., Vermont, on the igth 
of October, 1864? 

A band of raiders from Canada assaulted the town, 
robbed the banks, seized horses from the livery stables 
and returned to Canada before the inhabitants recovered 
from their surprise. The entire raid was accomplished in 
a half-hour. 

568. Describe the attempt of Confederate emissaries to burn 
New York. 

On the night of November 25, 1864, an attempt was 
made to burn New York by saturating beds in the princi- 
pal hotels with a mixture of phosphorus and oil. The 
attempt was discovered in season and a great disaster 
averted. 

569. What was the Alabama, and what damage did she 
do? 

She was a British steamer built in England, but officered 
and commissioned by the Confederate government. Her 
object was to prey upon Union commerce, and she suc- 
ceeded in capturing more than sixty vessels. Her com- 
mander was Capt. Raphael Semmes. 

570. When, where, and with what result was the encounter 
between the Kearsarge and the Alabama ? 

The engagement between the Kearsage and the Alabama 
took place off the coast of France, in the English Channel, 
June 15, 1864. The Alabama was sunk. Capt. John A. 
Winslow, commanding the Kearsage, rescued a part of 
the sinking crew. The English yacht Deerhound picked 
up the remainder and steamed off to the British coast 
Capt. Semmes was among the number thus rescued. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. lOl 

571. What other interesting naval operation occurred during 
this year 1 

The destruction of the Confederate iron-clad Albemarle, 
at Plymouth, North Carolina. This was accomplished by- 
Lieut. Cushing, who fastened a torpedo to the Albemarle, 
which exploded and sunk her. 

572. At the close 0/1864^ what was the political condition 
of the North? 

There was much dissatisfaction at the North with the 
conduct of the war ; the debt was becoming enormous and 
paper money greatly depreciated. Grant had been re- 
pulsed at Cold Harbor and Early had made successful 
raids. In the midst of these calamities Abraham Lincoln 
was renominated by the Republicans, and the Democrats 
nominated Geo. B. McClellan, who stood firmly for the 
prosecution of the war but was not in full sympathy with 
the policy of the administration. Lincoln's popular ma- 
jority was more than four hundred thousand. 

573. How did gold compare in value with greenbacks! 

In July, 1864, it required $2.90 in paper to buy one 
dollar in gold. 

574. What were the Confederate victories during this yearl 
The Confederates won the battles of Sabine Cross Roads, 

Wilderness, Bermuda Hundreds, Spottsylvania, New Market 
and Cold Harbor. They resisted the Red River and 
Florida expeditions, two attacks upon Petersburg and one 
against Fort Fisher. 

575. Name the Union victories. 

They won the battle of Atlanta and the battles pre- 
ceding it — Dalton, Resaca, Dallas, Lost Mountain, Kene- 
saw Mountain, Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek 
and Nashville. They captured Fort de Russy, the forts in 
Mobile Harbor, and Fort McAllister ; Sheridan annihilated 



I02 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Early's army; Sherman marched across Georgia and took 
Savannah ; Thomas destroyed Hood's army, and the Con- 
federacy was almost extinguished ; only North and South 
Carolina remained in full control of the Confederacy. 

1865. 

576. What was the plan of the campaign for 186^? 

Sherman was to move north from Savannah against 
Johnston, and then join Grant in a final attack upon Lee. 
Sheridan had swept down from the Shenandoah, cut the 
railroads north of Richmond, and formed in line before 
Petersburg. Wilson was in Alabama and Georgia, while 
Stoneman held the passes of the Alleghanies and waited in 
North Carolina for the issue in Virginia. 

577. What were General Sherman's movements! 

Early in February Sherman started north, and, though 
meeting with untold difficulties, swept on. He captured 
Columbia on Feb. 17, and on the following day Charleston 
was evacuated. Johnston fiercely opposed him at Averys- 
boro and Bentonville, but was defeated. On the banks of 
the Neuse Sherman met Schofield and Terry, and the 
three, with a combined army of 100,000 men, waited for 
the final charge against the Confederacy. The distance 
traveled was more than 425 miles, one hundred of which 
was swamp. 

578. Describe the siege of Richmond. 

Lee was now shut up in Richmond, and his only hope 
of prolonging the struggle was to cut his way out. He 
decided to attack Grant's lines, cause a concentration of 
troops, and retreat by other routes before his plan was 
discovered. He failed, as Grant returned the advance 
with renewed vigor, capturing the outer defenses and pre' 
venting a retreat. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



103 



579. Give a description of the battle of Five Forks. 
Sheridan, with his cavalry and heavy columns of in- 

fantry, pushed Qjrt from Grant's left wing and threw a 
heavy force behin;d the Confederate position at Five Forks. 
Assailed in every direction, the garrison was overwhelmed, 
and five thousand men were taken prisoners. 

580. What effect had this brilliant victory 1 

Lee's position was made untenable. His right was 
turned and his rear threatened. 

581. Describe the capture of Petersburg and Richmond. 
On the morning of April 3, the Union army advanced m 

an overwhelming assault along the whole front. By noon the 
Confederate line of intrenchments, before which the Armr 
of the Potomac had lain so long, was broken, and thousands 
of prisoners were captured. That night Petersburg and 
Richmond were evacuated. The next morning the Union 
troops took possession of the Confederate capital. 

582. When and to whom did Lee and fohnston surrender 'i 
Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox, near 

Lynchburg, Va., on April 9, and Johnston to Sherman in 
North Carolina on April 26. 

583. When and how was fejferson Davis captured, and 
what was done with him ? 

He was arrested by a party of Union troops, in Georgia, 
on May 10, 1865, and imprisoned in Fortress Monroe, but 
was later released on bail furnished by Horace Greeley. 

584. How long did the Civil War last? 
A little more than four years. 

585. When and by whom was Abraham Lincoln assas- 
sinated? 

On the 14th of April, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth, at 
Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. 



I04 COMMON SCHOOt QUESTION BOOK. 

586. What became of Booth? 

After shooting the President he sprang upon the stage. 
His spur caught in a flag used to drape the proscenium, and 
he was thrown heavily, breaking his leg. He escaped, 
mounted his horse and fled through Maryland, into Virginia, 
where he was overtaken, near Bowling Green, in a barn 
and shot. 

587. Give an account of the attack on Secretary Seward. 

On the same night of the assassination of Lincoln an 
accomplice stabbed Mr. Seward while lying ill in bed. 

588. What became of Booth's accomplices? 

Harold, Payne, Atzerodt, and Mrs. Surratt were hanged; 
Arnold, Mudd and O'Laughlin were imprisoned for life, 
and Spangler was sentenced for six years, 

589. What was the total number of troops called out in the 
war, and what the total number obtained? 

The number called out was 2,942,748, the number obtained 
was 2,690,401. 

590. How many men were lost in the war? 

The Union armies probably lost in battle, or through its 
effects, 300,000 men, while 200,000 were crippled for life. 
The Confederate loss is not positively known, but was un- 
doubtedly almost as heavy. 

591. What was the cost of the war? 

The government's debt on August 31, 1865, was nearly 
$2,844,000,000. The daily expenses at one time reached 
the sum of 1^2,500,000. 

592. How was slavery forever abolished in the United 
States ? 

By the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution, which 
was ratified on December 18, 1865. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



lOS 



593. Who succeeded Lincoln as Presidents 

Andrew Johnson. He was sworn in on the day of 
Lincoln's death, April 15, 1865. 

594. What caused trouble between Johnson and Congress 1 
The exercise of the veto power. 

595. What were the most important bills passed over the 
President's veto? 

The Freedmen's Bureau, the Civil Rights, and the 
Tenure of Office bills. 

596. What was the nature of these bills? 

The Freedmen's Bureau bill provided for the establish- 
ment of a department for the protection of the freedmen. 
The Civil Rights bill guaranteed to the negroes the full 
rights of citizenship. The Tenure of Office bill made it 
necessary that the consent of the Senate shall be obtained 
/or the President's removal of any person from a civil office. 

597. On what charges was Johnson impeached? 

Various misdemeanors, and contempt of the Senate by 
violating the Tenure of Office act in an attempt to remove 
arbitrarily Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War. Johnson 
was acquitted, the two-thirds majority necessary for convic- 
tion lacking one vote. 

598. What is the fourteenth amendment to the Constitu- 
tion? When adopted? 

It guarantees equal civil rights to all, and bases repre- 
sentation in each of the States on the number of voters. 
It was adopted July 28, 1868. 

599. What demand upon France was made by the United 
States government? 

The recall from Mexico of the French troops under 
Maximilian. 



Io6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION- BOOK. 

600. What States were added to the Union during tki 
war? 

West Virginia and Nevada. 

601. What was the Reconstruction policy of Johnson f 

He recognized the State governments that had been 
formed during the war under the protection of the Union 
army in Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana. In 
the other States he appointed provisional governors and 
authorized the calling of conventions to form loyal govern- 
ments. These conventions met, repealed the ordinances 
of secession, repudiated the Confederate debt, and ratified 
the thirteenth amendment. On these conditions Johnson 
claimed that the States, having never been legally out of 
the Union, should be restored to their rights in the Union. 
Pardon was proclaimed to those persons who had been en- 
gaged in secession with certain exceptions. 

602. When was Universal Amnesty declared! 
On Christmas day, 1868. 

603. What was the Reconstruction policy of Congress ? 
Congress decided that the President had no power to 

prescribe the conditions for the readmission of the seceded 
States, and his proclamations and orders were treated as 
invalid. Tennessee was admitted, but the other States 
were placed under military rule. After a bitter and pro- 
tracted struggle, governments were finally established in 
Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina 
and South Carolina. 

604. What was the '■'■iron-clad oath," and who were the so- 
called '■'■carpet-baggers " / 

Congress made a requirement that every candidate for 
holding office should swear that he had not participated in 
the secession movement. As but few Southerners could 
conscientiously take this oath it was called "iron-clad," 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



107 



and the offices were filled by men who had come from the 
North during the war and soon after it. Owing to their 
recent arrival, these men were termed "carpet-baggers." 

605. How long was the government in establishing its 
Reco7istruction policy ? 

Three years. The Southern States were not represented 
in the government from 1861 to 1868. Virginia, Missis- 
sippi and Texas were not allowed to vote for President 
until after Grant's first administration. 

606. What proclamation was issued by Johnson in regard 
to the Fenians ? 

The Fenians were making preparations to cross the 
Canadian frontier at Buffalo, N.Y., and St. Albans, Vt. 
Johnson issued a proclamation declaring the movement a 
violation of neutrality, and sent General Meade to execute 
the law. 

607. Ifow was Alaska obtained^ 

By purchase from Russia, in October, 1867, for 17,200,000 
in gold. It contains 500,000 square miles. 

608. What treaty was made with China f 

In 1868 an embassy from China, in charge of Anson 
Burlingame, then our diplomatic representative in China, 
visited the United States. This was the first event of its 
kind in the history of the Chinese nation. A treaty was 
framed granting valuable commercial privileges. 

609. What repeated demand was made of the French gov- 
emment ? 

During our civil war France attempted to establish an 
empire in Mexico, and Maximilian, an Archduke of Austria, 
was appointed emperor. The United States government 
protested, but with its hands full of its own affairs was un- 
able to enforce the Monroe Doctrine. After the close of our 
war our government again demanded of Napoleon the re- 



Io8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

call of French troops. Maximilian, deprived of foreign 
aid, was defeated by the Mexicans, and on June 19, 1867, 
was shot after a trial by his captors. 

610. Whe7i was the Atlantic cable completed? 

In June, 1866. The first cable was attempted in 1856, 
and laid from New York to St. Johns, Newfoundland. In 
1S57 a vain effort was made to cross the ocean. In 1858 
a cable was laid across the Atlantic and apparently worked 
successfully, but on September i it ceased to work. Cyrus 
W. Field, the projector of this enterprise, was not dis- 
couraged, and organized a third company, which in June, 
1866, was successful. There are now several cables. 

611. What was the political situation at that time? 

The Republican party nominated Ulysses S. Grant and 
Schuyler Colfax; the Democrats, Horatio Seymour and 
Frank P. Blair. Virginia, Mississippi and Texas had not 
yet been "reconstructed" and were not allowed to vote. 

grant's administration — 1869-1877. 

612. When was the Union Pacific Railway completed? 
How far is it from New York to San Francisco? 

In 1869. The distance from New York to San Francisco 
is about 3,300 miles. 

613. When was the fifteenth amendment formally pro- 
claimed^ and what is its nature? 

On March 30, 1870, and it provided that the right of the 
citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or 
abridged by the United States or any State, on account of 
race, color, or previous condition of servitude. 

614. Describe the important conflagrations of iS^i and 
1872. 

A great fire broke out in Chicago on Sunday night, Octo- 
ber 8, 1871. It was the most terrible conflagration in 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



109 



modern times. Three thousand acres of almost solid 
blocks were devastated. Twenty-five thousand buildings 
were burned, ^200,000,000 worth of property was destroyed, 
and 1 00,000 persons were rendered homeless. Contributions 
to the amount of more than ^7,500,000 were sent to the 
suffering citizens from nearly all parts of the world. Dur- 
ing the same autumn fires raged in the forests of Wisconsin, 
Minnesota and Michigan. Entire villages were consumed. 
In Wisconsin alone nearly 1,500 persons perished. On 
November 9, 1872, fire swept over sixty acres in the whole- 
sale trade centre of Boston, and destroyed 1^70,000,000 
worth of property. 

615. What was the Alabama claims difficulty with Eng- 
land^ and how was it settled^ 

The English government refused to pay for the damages 
to American commerce caused by the cruising of the Ala- 
bama. The dispute was settled by arbitration, in a con- 
vention at Geneva, Switzerland, the English government 
paying ^15,500,000 to the United States. 

616. How was the dispute regarding the Northwestern 
boundary between the United States and British America 
adjusted i 

It was submitted to the Emperor of Germany and was 
decided in favor of the United States. 

617. What was the proposed amiexation of San Domingo ? 
The republic of San Domingo, comprising a large part 

of the island of Hayti, applied for admission to the United 
States, but was rejected. A commission appointed by the 
President to examine its condition reported favorably, but 
the measure was rejected by Congress. 

618. At the close of Grants first term, what was the 
political situation ? 

Grant was renominated by the Republicans, and the 



no COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Democrats endorsed the nomination of Horace Greeley, 
already the Liberal-Republican candidate. 

619. Give a short biography of Horace Greeley. 
Horace Greeley was one of our great self-made men. 

Born in poverty, he had risen from the humblest position 
to be the most renowned editor of the age. In 1841 he 
had founded the New York Tribune. When civil war 
seemed imminent, he had urged measures to avoid it, even 
advocating the policy *bf letting the discontented States 
depart in peace; but when war had been proclaimed he 
had urged a vigorous prosecution. At the close of the 
war he had pleaded for immediate conciliation. Just 
before the close of the Presidential canvass his wife died, 
and this, together with the desertion of friends and the 
excitement of the contest, unsettled his mind. He was 
confined in a private asylum, where he soon died. 

620. Describe the difficulties with the Modoc Indians. 
Having refused to stay upon their reservation in Oregon, 

troops were sent against them, whereupon they retreated 
to their fastnesses in the Lava Beds. Peace commis- 
sioners, proposing to arrange the difficulty, held a con- 
ference with the chiefs. In the midst of this council, the 
Indians treacherously murdered General Canby and the 
Rev. Dr. Thomas and wounded Mr. Meachara. The 
Modocs were then bombarded and forced to surrender. 
Captain Jack and several of the leaders of the band were 
hanged at Fort Klamath, October 3, 1873. 

621. Describe the panic of iSjj. 

In the autumn of 1873 Jay Cooke & Co., bankers, of 
Philadelphia, became too heavily involved in railroad 
enterprises, especially the Northern Pacific, and failed. 
The failure produced a financial crisis, and hundreds of 
prominent firms all over the Union were involved in ruin. 
The money market became stringent, and a stagnation of 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. m 

business followed. But for the timely aid of the govern- 
ment in throwing several millions of dollars into the market, 
the distress would have been much greater. The name 
"Black Friday" was applied to the day when almost every 
man and firm in business seemed to be threatened with 
bankruptcy. 

622. What centennial anniversaries were observed with 
great enthusiasm in l8y^ and i8y6 1 

The hundredth anniversary of the battle of Lexington, 
of the battle of Bunker Hill, and of the signing of the 
Declaration of Independence. 

623. Describe the main features of the Centennial Exhibi- 
tion. 

Fairmount Park, in Philadelphia, was the scene of the 
display. More than two hundred buildings were scattered 
over the extensive ground, the main structure covering 
twenty acres. Exhibits were gathered from every clime. 
The exhibition lasted six months, from May to November, 
and the total number of visitors was 9,910,966. 

624. What war with the Sioux Indians occurred, and 
what terrible defeat overtook the government forces 1 

A band of Sioux took the war-path. Troops were sent 
to force them to return to their reservation. On the 25th 
of June, 1876, General Custer suddenly came upon the 
enemy and a desperate fight followed, in which Custer and 
his entire command were killed. 

625. In i8y6, who were nominated for President ? 

The Republicans nominated Rutherford B. Hayes and 
Wm. A. Wheeler; the Democrats, Samuel J. Tilden and 
Thomas A. Hendricks; the Greenback party, Peter Cooper 
and Samuel F. Cary. 

626. What was the result of the election f 

Both Republicans and Democrats claimed the election. 



112 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

the Republicans insisting that the States of South Carolina, 
Florida and Louisiana had been carried by the Democrats 
by fraud. 

627. How was Rutherford B. Hayes chosen President 1 
In order to reach a settlement, a Joint Electoral Com- 
mission was appointed, composed of five United States 
Senators, five United States Representatives, and five 
Justices of the Supreme Court. This body decided that 
185 electoral votes had been cast for Hayes and Wheeler, 
and 184 for Tilden and Hendricks. 

628. What was the feeling among the American people in 
regard to the settlement of this questionl 

The Republicans were jubilant, while the Democrats 
denounced the decision, claiming that the Commission 
had decided, not by evidence, but on partisan grounds, as 
eight of them were Republicans and seven were Demo- 
crats; therefore Hayes was termed by his opponents the 
"eight-to-seven" President. 

629. When Samuel f. Tilden was asked if his party should 
statid by his election, what reply did he make I 

To the delegation who sought his advice he insisted that 
no act of theirs should imperil the country. 

Hayes's administration — 1877-1881. 

630. What promise was made by Hayes in regard to '■'■rota- 
tion in office"''''} 

To make "no dismissal except for cause, and no pro- 
motion except for merit." 

631. What was President Hayes'' s Southern policy 1 

One of conciliation. The Federal troops which had 
hitherto sustained the Republican State governments in 
South Carolina and Louisiana v^^ere withdrawn and DemO' 
cratic officers at once took control of the local affairs He 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



"3 



also appointed Judge Key, a Southerner and an ex-Con 
federate, Postmaster General. 

632. What railroad strike occurred in iSfy i 

On nearly all of the principal railroads in the Northern 
States a strike of workmen occurred, the cause being a 
general reduction of wages. At Pittsburg, Pa., the strike 
grew into a terrible riot, in the course of which vast 
amounts of property were destroyed; it was quelled only 
by the use of troops. In the riot more than one hundred 
lives vere sacrificed, and the Pennsylvania Railroad 
suffered a loss of nearly ^3,000,000 worth of property. 

633. What was the Bland Silver Bill? 

In 1873 Congress demonetized silver, and made gold 
the sole standard of our currency. Opposition arose to 
this act, and in 1878 a bill was passed remonetizing silver 
and making the standard silver dollar a legal tender for 
the payment of debts. The government was required to 
purchase from ^2,000,000 to ^4,000,000 worth of silver 
bullion every month, and coin it into dollars. The bill 
was called the "Bland bill," because Representative Bland 
of Missouri set it in motion in Congress. 

634. Describe the yellow fever of 1878. 

In the summer of 1878 it broke out in New Orleans and 
spread with alarming rapidity northward along the Missis- 
sippi into Missouri and Tennessee. More than 7,000 
deaths were reported. 

635. When did the resumption of specie payments occur? 
January i, 1879. On December 17, 1878, gold, for the 

first time since January, 1862, sold in New York at par. 

636. What Indian difficulties took place in i8yg ? 

The Ute Indians at the White River Agency, being 
dissatisfied on account of the encroachments of miners 
and the non-payment of money promised by the govern 



114 COMMVN SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

ment, took up arms and massacred and abused the whites 
at the agency. The revolt was suppressed by United 
States troops. 

637. In 1880, what was the population of the United 
States? 

The census of 1880 showed a population of more than 
50,000,000. The increase of inhabitants from 1870 to 1880 
was some 12,000,000. 

638. What were the Fishery Awards? 

Difficulties sprang up between Great Britain and the 
United States because of the fisheries on our northeast 
coast. The matter was left to an international commission 
of arbitration which awarded Great Britain the sum of 

$5,500,000. 

639. What were out treaties with China in 1880I 

One in relation to commerce, and the other granting lo 
our government the regulation of Chinese immigration. 

640. Was President Hayes's administration favorable to 
his party 1 

A large element in the party were not satisfied with his 
policy of conciliation toward the South. They believed 
that, if the electoral vote had legally been cast for him as 
President, it must also have been cast for the Republican 
State officers, and that it was the duty of the President to 
protect those officers by the presence of United States 
troops at the State capitals. 

641. Who were the nominees for the Presidency to succeed 
President Hayes ? 

The Republicans nominated James A. Garfield and 
Chester A. Arthur. The Democrats nominated Winfield 
S. Hancock and William H. English. The Greenback- 
Labor party nominated James B. Weaver and Benjamin 
\, Chambers. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



"5 



642. What was the principal issue between the Republican 
and Democratic parties 1 

The tariff question. 

643. What were the principles advocated by the Greenback 

Labor party "i 

The Greenback-Labor party was opposed to the issue of 
paper money by any private corporation; they insisted 
that it should be issued solely by the government and 
made a full legal tender. They claimed also that mon- 
opolies were fast controlling all kinds of business and that 
labor was becoming a mere slave to the avarice and greed 
of capital; that legislation was enacted for the rich without 
due regard for the poor ; and that our factories were over- 
burdensome to women and children. 

GARFIELD AND ARTHUR'S ADMINISTRATION. 

644. When was Garfield inaugurated Presidents 
March 4, 1881. 

645. What gigantic swindling system was detected in the 
Post-office Department 1 

The Star Route frauds, whereby contracts in the West 
for carrying the mails were so manipulated that great 
wrongs and robberies were perpetrated. Within two 
months contracts to the amount of nearly ^2,000,000 were 
annulled. The alleged conspirators were tried, but judg- 
ment was never rendered against them. 

646. When was President Garfield assassinated? 

On the morning of July 2, 1881, by Charles J. Guiteau, 
at a railway station in Washington, D.C. 

647. What was the feeling of the country in regard to the 
assassination, and what became of the assassin? 

The assassination produced profound and universal sor- 
row. Preparations for the celebration of Independence 



Il6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

Day were generally abandoned. President Garfield died 
on the 19th of September following, at Long Branch, NJ. 
He is buried at Cleveland, O. The assassin was tried, con- 
victed and hanged. 

648. What testimonial of respect was shown by the Queen 
of England to Mrs. Garfield^ 

By direction of the Queen a wreath of flowers was placed 
upon Garfield's coffin, as a sign of her sympathy with the 
martyred President's wife. 

649. When did Chester A. Arthur become President of the 
United States ? 

Immediately on being informed of the President's death 
he took the oath of office. 

650. What was the extent of the flood in the Mississippi 
Valley in 188 2? 

Nearly 100,000 persons were rendered homeless. 

65 1. Describe the East River Bridge. 

A suspension bridge connecting New York City and 
Brooklyn, 5,989 feet long, was opened to the use of the 
public in 1883. It was begun January 3, 1870. The height 
of the towers is 278 feet and the length of the suspended 
span from tower to tower 1,596 feet. The height from the 
water, at the center, is 135 feet. The four great cables 
are 15I inches in diameter, and each cable contains 5,296 
parallel wires of galvanized steel, oil-coated, closely 
wrapped, and weighing, with covering, 897^ tons. 

652. What is the Civil Service Act, and when was it 
passed ? 

It was passed in 1883, and aimed to regulate appoint- 
ments and promotions in the civil service of the United 
States by means of examinations instead of political pre- 
ferment. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



117 



653. iVhen was letter postage reduced from three cents to 
two cents? 

October i, 1883. 

654. How was Alaska recognized as a Territory? 

In 1884 a bill was approved by which a governor, judge, 
marshal and other officers were to be appointed for a term 
of four years, but no legislative assembly or Congressional 
delegate was authorized. Sitka was made the temporary 
seat of government. 

655. How was Chinese immigration regulated? 

It was forbidden by a law passed in 1882, for ten years. 

656. Who zvere nominated for President in 1884? 

The Democrats nominated Grover Cleveland and 
Thomas A. Hendricks. The Republicans, James G. 
Blaine and John A. Logan. The Greenback-Labor party, 
B. F. Butler and A. M. West. The Prohibitionists, John 
P. St, John and William Daniel. 

657. What were the chief subjects of discussion in this 
campaign ? 

Between the Democrats and Republicans, the tariff and 
scandalous personalities. The Greenback-Labor party es- 
poused the same policies as four years before, while the 
Prohibitionists demanded the suppression of the liquor 
traffic by the general government. 

658. Who was elected President, atid by what popular 
majoriiy ? Which State held the deciding vote? 

Grover Cleveland. New York State held the deciding 
vote, and its Democratic majority was about 1,045. 

Cleveland's administration — 1885-1889. 

659. When did General Grant die? 

July 23, 1885, at Mount McGregor, N.Y. 



Il8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

6bo. Where and when did Vice-President Hendricks die? 
At his home in Indianapolis, November 25, 1885. 

661. How many times has the Vice-Presidency been made 
vacant by death t 

Five times. 

662. What other noted men died shortly after Mr. Hen- 
dricks i 

George B. McClellan, Winfield S, Hancock, Charles 
Francis Adams and Chester A. Arthur. 

663. What notable events occurred in 1886 ? 

The Haymarket riot in Chicago, May 3. The riot of 
Milwaukee, May 6. The earthquake of Charleston, S.C. 
The conviction of eight Anarchists in Chicago. The rise of 
the Knights of Labor to prominence. Great gales off the 
coast of Texas, and wrecks on Lakes Michigan and Super- 
ior. The unveiling of the statue, "Liberty Enlightening 
the World," in New York Harbor. 

664. What noted man died December 26, 1886? 
John A. Logan, United States Senator from Illinois. 

EVENTS OF 1887-1889. 

665. What important commercial act was passed by Con- 
gress in January of this year? 

The Inter-State Commerce Act. It was signed by the 
President, February 4, 1887. 

666. What bill originated in the Senate in regard to the 
Canadian fishery question ? 

The Retaliation Act which placed in the hands of the Pres- 
ident the power to prohibit the importation of the products 
of the Canadian fisheries, or, if necessary, to suspend all 
commerce with Canada until the differences between the 
United States and that country were settled. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. iig 

667. What was the result of the election of 1888 ? 

The Republicans elected Benjamin Harrison President, 
and Levi P. Morton Vice-President. The election was ex- 
citing and majorities in the doubtful States small. 

668. In February, iSSg, what important office was added 
to the Cabinet? 

Secretary of Agriculture. 

669. What legislation in the same month was of special 
interest to the people of the Northwest! 

An act by which North and South Dakota, Washington 
and Montana were admitted as States. 

670. What interesting anniversary occurred in i88g? 

The centenary of the first inauguration of Washington 
as President of the United States. President Harrison in 
a proclamation had recommended that on "Thursday, 
April 30, at the hour of nine in the morning, the people of 
the entire country repair to their respective places of Di- 
vine worship, to implore the favor of God that the bless- 
ings of liberty, prosperity, and peace may abide with us as 
a people." This recommendation met with general observ- 
ance. The day was also celebrated by patriotic displays 
in all the cities and principal towns of the Union. 

EVENTS OF i8go. 

671. What important tarij^ and silver legislation was en- 
acted in i8go ? 

"The McKinley law," so called, made important changes 
in the tariff, generally in the direction of an increase in 
the rate of protective duties. The Sherman act was a law 
repealing the Bland act, and requiring the government to 
purchase monthly 4,500,000 ounces of silver bullion at the 
market price and coin a part of it into standard dollars. 



I20 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

672. What law did Congress pass in i8gi bearing upon 
copyright ? 

A law providing that the President may, under certain 
conditions, by proclamation extend to foreigners the privi- 
leges of copyright in the United States. 

EVENTS OF 1891-1892. 

673. How near to the verge of war did the United States 
come during Harrison's administration i 

Some American sailors were murderously attacked in the 
streets of Valparaiso by a Chilian mob. Our government 
demanded reparation in damages and an apology, under pain 
of war. Chili was just coming out of a civil war of her 
own, and for reasons of domestic policy held back a little, 
but succumbed just as the period fixed in the American 
ultimatum was expiring. 

674. What were the effects of the McKinley law? 

Its opponents declared that the operation of the 
"McKinley law" resulted in a general advance in the cost 
of living. Its supporters claimed that it increased the 
general prosperity. At the next general election, the Re- 
publicans lost the House of Representatives and were sup- 
planted by a large Democratic majority. 

675. What was the result of the election of i8g2? 

The Democrats elected Grover Cleveland President and 
Adlai E. Stevenson Vice-President. The campaign was 
notable for the absence of much of the usual excitement. 
The general verdict appeared to be against a continuance 
of the high protective rates of the McKinley tariff. 

EVENTS OF 1 893-1 894. 

676. What event of international interest marked the yeat 

1893? 

The World's Columbian Exposition, held at Chicago 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 121 

commemorating the 400th anniversary of the discovery of 
America by Columbus. 

677. Did any exceptional political occurrences mark this 
year! 

(a) President Cleveland convened Congress in extra 
session in August to consider the alarming financial de- 
pression which had recently set in. This session ended 
with the repeal of the silver-purchase clause of the Sher- 
man Act of 1890. 

(/') A dispute between this country and England con- 
cerning the seal industry in the Bering Sea, which had 
been assuming a threatening aspect, was amicably settled 
by international arbitration. 

678. What important q?iestio?i engaged the attention of 
the Congress and the people in i8g4 ? 

A protracted discussion by Congress (Democratic) re- 
sulted in the enactment of a revised tariff law repealing 
the duties on imported wools, and other important raw 
materials, and reducing duties on many manufactured or 
partly manufactured articles. 

679. What was the result of the Congressional elections of 
i8g4? 

A general "overturn," replacing the Democratic major- 
ity in the House of Representatives by a larger Repub- 
lican majority. 

680. What occurrences in the laborfield excited general 
anxiety in i8g4? 

A strike of railroad employees at Chicago assumed an 
almost revolutionary character by reason of violence, in- 
cendiarism, and general lawlessness. President Cleveland 
ordered United States troops to the scene of the troubles, 
thus terminating the episode. 



122 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

EVENTS OF 1895-1896. 

681. What great question was brought most prominently to 
the attention of the people in iSg^—iSgd 1 

The general question of the settlement by arbitration 
of all diflferences with other nations. A dispute between 
Great Britain and Venezuela, concerning the boundary line 
between Venezuela and British Guiana, drew forth from 
President Cleveland a sharp protest, coupled with an inti- 
mation that our government, in support of the "Monroe 
Doctrine," would, if necessary, go to war. After con- 
siderable diplomatic correspondence it was agreed to sub- 
mit the Venezuelan boundary question to arbitration, 
which our government pronounced satisfactory. 

682. What was the result of the general election of i8g6? 

The Republicans elected William McKinley President 
and Garrett A. Hobart Vice-President, with a working 
majority in the House of Representatives, on platform de- 
clarations assuring the maintenance of the existing gold 
standard in our currency. The Democrats had demanded 
the unlimited free coinage of silver at the current ratio of 
16 to I. Next to the coinage question, the most important 
issue of the campaign was that of the duties on imports, 
McKinley representing those who desired higher tariffs as 
a protection to domestic industries. 

EVENTS OF 1897-1898-1899. 

683. What was the first important act during the McKinley 
administration ? 

The calling of an extra session of Congress in March, 
1897, for the enactment of a new protective tariff, styled 
the Dingley Act, in honor of Representative Dingley of 
Maine, its author. The act was signed July 24, 1898. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY, 



123 



684. Did either House of Congress do a?iything else of note 
at the extra session ? 

The Senate rejected a general treaty of arbitration 
between Great Britain and the United States. 

685. Was this the only treaty of consequence before the 
Senate at this session? 

No. A treaty with the republic of Hawaii, for its an- 
nexation to the United States, was sent in by President 
McKinley, but went over till the regular session the fol- 
lowing winter and then failed. 

686. How did its failure affect Ifawaiiafi annexation'} 

It made it necessary fo effect the annexation by joint 
resolution as in the case of Texas. This was finally ac- 
complished in the summer of 1898. 

687. What remarkable separation occurred between the 
prices of silver and wheat in iSgy? 

Wheat rose in price to $1.19 cents a bushel, and silver 
fell to 45xVtr cents an ounce. 

688. Was any effort made to improve the value of silver? 
An international monetary commission was appointed 

by President McKinley. It visited England, France and 
Germany in behalf of an agreement between those coun- 
tries and the United States for maintaining their silver 
coinage at a stated ratio of value as compared with gold; 
but their efforts were fruitless. 

689. What noteworthy event for New York occurred in 
iSgy? 

The enactment of the Greater New York law by the 
State Legislature, uniting Brooklyn, Staten Island and 
other adjacent territory with New York City proper, and 
raising it in population to the second rank, as to both area 
and population, among the cities of the world. The con« 
solidation went into effect January i, 189S. 



124 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

690. What i7nporia?it general legislation 7vas efiacted by the 
Fifty-fifth Corigress at its winter session of iSgy-iSgS? 

A bankruptcy law; resolutions declaring Cuba free, and 
thus bringing about a war with Spain; and the War Rev- 
enue Act. 

6gi. How lo7ig did the 7var with Spain last? 

Actual hostilities began April 21, 1898, with the sev- 
erance of diplomatic intercourse, and ended August 12, 
1 858, with the signing of a peace protocol at Washington. 

692. What were the priticipal battles in this war? 

The battle of Manila Bay, on May i, in which Admiral 
Dewey destroyed the entire Spanish fleet in Philippine 
waters; the sea-fight off the mouth of the harbor of San- 
tiago, Cuba, July 3, when the ships under Admirals Schley 
and Sampson destroyed the fleet of the Spanish Admiral 
Cervera; the battles incidental to the capture of Santiago, 
between June 24 and July 17, and the battle which ended 
the siege of Manila and brought about its surrender, 
fought just before the news of the peace negotiations 
reached the Philippines. 

693. What other exhibitions of American heroism diS' 
tingiiished this war? 

The sinking of the collier Merrimac, in the narrowest 
part of the entrance to the harbor of Santiago, to blockade 
the harbor. This was accomplished by Naval Constructor 
Hobson, with a picked crew of seven men, at night, under 
fire of the Spanish shore batteries. Col. Funston's bravery 
in the Philippines was also especially notable. 

694. What brought about this war? 

The state of disquietude in the United States caused by 
the long and bloody war carried on by the Spanish army 
in Cuba in its attempt to put down the rebellion there. 
The acme of outraged sentiment in the United States was 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 



125 



reached when, on February 15, the American battleship 
Maine was destroyed in the harbor of Havana by a mys- 
terious explosion, causing the death of 264 American offi- 
cers and seamen. 

695. What were the principal terms of the peace protocol 1 
The cession of Portp'Rico by Spain to the United 

States; the evacuation of that island and of Cuba; the re- 
nunciation of Spanish sovereignty in Cuba; and the ref- 
erence of the future disposal of the Philippine Islands to 
an international conference or Peace Commission. 

696. Who were appointed to represent the United States in 
the peace conference, and where did the conference hold its 
sessions ? 

Senators Davis, Frye and Gray; William R. Day, late 
Secretary of State, and Whitelaw Reid of New York. 
The sessions of the conference were held in Paris. 

697. What was the character of the War Revenue Act? 
It provided for the issue of bonds to raise money for 

carrying on the war, and for a far-reaching system of in- 
ternal taxation to supply the means for meeting the princi- 
pal and interest of the debt thus created and supply the 
government with additional revenue. 

698. What did the treaty of peace provide ? 

That Spain should give up all her remaining possessions 
in the Western Hemisphere, as forecast by the protocol, 
and cede to the United States the Philippine Archipelago 
in consideration of the payment of ^20,000,000 by the 
United States, and also the island of Guam in the 
Ladrones; and that each government should relinquish all 
its own claims for indemnity and those of its citizens or 
subjects, growing out of the Cuban war. The treaty con- 
tained also some provisions securing especially favorable 
commercial privileges to Spain in her late possessions 
transferred to the United States. 



126 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

699. When was peace formally declared! 
On April 11, 1899, when the ratifications of the treaty 

by the two nations were exchanged at the Executive Man- 
sion in Washington. 

700. What dramatic coincidence attended the vote of the 
United States Senate for the ratification of the treaty 1 

The struggle over ratification had been very fierce, a 
large number of Senators objecting to the assumption of 
sovereignty by the United States Government in the Phil- 
ippines. On February 4, 1899, after the 6th had been 
fixed as the date for the final vote, the Filipino insurgent 
army, under General Emilio Aguinaldo, opened fire upon 
the American army in the outposts of Manila. This was 
obviously done for the purpose of emphasizing the demand 
of the Filipinos for independence as opposed to annexa- 
tion to the United States. It seemed to have an effect the 
reverse of what was intended. Some of the Senators 
who had been inclined to listen to the plea of the Filipi- 
nos now declared that this violence must be punished. 
When the vote was taken on February 6, it stood 57 to 
27, or one more than the requisite two-thirds in favor of 
the treaty. 

701. Has the United States any other foreign complications 
on hand at present "i 

Yes. A joint commission representing Great Britain, 
Canada and the United States, which met in Washington 
in the fall of 1898, suspended its sessions for a time in the 
following spring, because, in considering the various sub- 
jects which had caused irritation between the United 
States and the other countries involved, it could not reach 
a satisfactory agreement on a boundary line between 
Alaska and the British possessions in the American North- 
west. In Samoa, also, trouble has grown out of the tripar- 
tite system of government, the British and American repre 



UNI TED S TA TES HIS TOR Y 127 

sentatlives espousing the cause of Malietoa, one of the 
claimants to the Samoan throne, while the German repre- 
sentatives sided with his rival, Mataafa. The dissension 
became so violent that Rear-Admiral Kautz, of the United 
States Navy, was sent to Apia with a suitable force and was 
obliged to do some fighting with the natives of Mataafa's ^ 
faction. 



MCKINLEY-ROOSEVELT ADMINISTRATION 1 90 1 - 1 909. 

702. What was the cost to the United States of the Span- 
ish-American war? 

The loss of 402 lives in battle and an expense of 
$165,000,000. 

703. What was the Homestead Act? 

A bill passed by Congress in 1862, making a gift of 160 
acres of public land to every bona fide settler who moves upon 
the same and improves and cultivates it. Many persons 
took advantage of this act during McKinley's administration. 

704. What does The Hague peace conference treaty pro- 
vide? 

It provides that the United States, Japan, and the princi- 
pal nations of Europe shall maintain a perpetual peace court 
at the city of The Hague, where contested questions between 
these nations may be arbitrated. 

705. What can you say about the Panama Canal? 

The United States paid to the republic of Panama the 
sum of $10,000,000 for the control of a strip of land across 
their country, ten miles in width, and then paid the French 
government $40,000,000 for what they had already per- 
formed on the canal. 



128 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

706. What national exposition occurred in igoj? 

The Pan-American exposition at Buffalo, N. Y. As the 
word pan means all, so all the countries of both North and 
South America participated. 

707. What public calamity occurred at this exposition? 

The assassination, on Sept. 6, 1 901, of President McKin- 
ley by a youth of foreign parentage, Czolgosz by name. 

708. What noted achievement was accomplished in ig02? 

The laying of a marine cable from San Francisco to 
Hawaii and thence to Manila. On July 4th of the fol- 
lowing year President Roosevelt sent a message around the 
world via San Francisco, Hawaii, Manila, Hongkong, and 
New York. 

709. What noted achievement opened up the year igojf 

The sending, from the station on Cape Cod, Massachu- 
setts, of a message by wireless telegraph from President 
Roosevelt to King Edward VH. of England. 

710. What event in history did the St. Louis Exposition 
commemorated 

The one hundredth anniversary of the purchase of the 
Louisiana territory from France by the United States in 
1803. 

711. What historical event did the Portland, Oregon, Ex- 
position commemorate? 

The exploring expedition of Lewis and Clark, which in 
1805 gave us a title to Oregon by right of discovery and 
exploration. 

712. Give in brief the happenings of this administration. 
I. Congress enacting the Dingley High Tariff Bill. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 129 

2. War with Spain. 

3. Annexation of Hawaii, Porto Rico and the Philip- 

pines. 

4. Passing the Gold Standard Act. 

5. The establishment of The Hague tribunal. 

6. Beginning the Panama Canal. 

7. Laying of the Pacific cable. 

8. Louisiana Purchase Exposition held. 

9. First wireless message sent across the Atlantic Ocean. 
10. Assassination of President McKinley. 

713. Who succeeded President McKinley? 

In November, 1904, the general elections resulted in the 
election of Theodore Roosevelt as President and Charles 
W. Fairbanks as Vice-President. 

Roosevelt's administration — 1905-1909. 

714. What four important bills were enacted into laws 
during this administration? 

1. Bill admitting to statehood Oklahoma Territory and 
Indian Territory as one State under the name of Oklahoma. 

2. The Railway Rate Bill. 

3. The Pure Food and Drug Bill. 

4. The Meat Inspection Bill. 

715. What naval achievement occurred during this ad- 
ministration? 

Sixteen vessels of the American navy, manned by 15,000 
seamen, sailed around the world by way of San Francisco, 
thence to China and Australia, and home by the Suez Canal, 
making a trip of more than 40,000 miles. 



130 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

716. What four calamities occurred during this adminis- 
tration f 

1. Galveston hurricane and tidal wave in 1900, that cost 
the lives of more than 6,000 people, and destroyed property 
valued at $18,000,000. 

2. In 1904 the Baltimore conflagration with a property 
loss of $50,000,000. 

3. The San Francisco earthquake in 1906, in which 
200,000 people were made homeless, and $400,000,000 of 
property, destroyed. 

4. In 1907 the country suffered a short but severe money 
panic, which happily only lasted a few months. 

717- What were the results of the next presidential elec- 
tion? 

The Republican party was victorious at the general elec- 
tion in November, 1908, and elected William H. Taft, of 
Ohio, President, and James S. Sherman, of New York, Vice- 
President, over William J. Bryan, of Nebraska, and John 
W. Kern, of Indiana, the candidates of the Democratic 
party. 

taft's administration — 1909-. 

718. Who compose Taft's cabinet? 

Sec. of state. Philander C. Knox, of Pa. 

Sec. of the treas., Franklin MacVeagh, of 111. 

Sec. of war, Jacob M. Dickinson, of Tenn. 

Atty.-gen., G. W. Wickersham, of New York. 

Postmaster-gen., Frank Hitchcock, of Mass. 

Sec. of the navy, Geo. Von L. Meyer, of Mass. 

Sec. of the int., R. A. Ballinger, of Wash. 

Sec. of agri., James Wilson, of Iowa. 

Sec. of commerce and labor, Chas. Nagel, of Mo. 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 131 

Salary of sec. of state, $8000 ; of the other cabinet members, 
$12,000 each, 

719. What are some of the important acts of the first 
part of this administration? 

1. The passing of an enabling act by Congress allowing the 
Territories of New Mexico and Arizona to come into the 
Union as States upon their formulating and adopting con- 
stitutions satisfactory to Congress and in no respect opposed 
to the Constitution of the United States. 

2. The enacting into law of the bill known as the Payne 
Tariff Bill. 

3. Passing a bill permitting postal savings banks to be 
established. 

4. Conservation of natural resources. 

5. Publication of campaign expenses by candidates for 
office. 

720. What exploring achievements were reported in the 
year IQOQ? 

1. Dr. Frederick A. Cook, returning from a cruise in the 
Arctic regions, claimed that on April 21, 1908, he reached the 
north pole and that no land was found beyond the 86th 
parallel and the thermometer registered 83 degrees below 
zero (Fahr.). Cook failed to substantiate his claims. 

2. Commodore Peary of the U. S. Navy also claimed 
that on April 6, 1909, he discovered the north pole, and that 
no land was visible after the 86th parallel, and the thermome- 
ter registered 83 degrees below zero. Peary's claims have 
received general credence by the people of all countries, but 
Cook's claims have been generally discredited. 

3. About the same time Lieut. Shackleton of England 
approached to within one hundred miles of the south pole. 
Two years after this the pole was actually discovered by 
Capt. Roald Amundsen who spent from Dec. 14—17, 1911, 
taking observations on the spot. 



132 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

721. What about rural free delivery? 

It was introduced first in 1895 in the United States, and 
now full)^ 18,000,000 people living in country districts, by 
virtue of its beneficent provisions receive their mail daily 
at their homes. 

722. What important strides have been made in the past 
ten years in regard to aviation? 

On Dec. 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright, of 
Dayton, O., made the first flight in a motor-driven aero- 
plane and traveled 852 ft. and remained in the air 59 seconds. 
Shortly after this, on Nov, 13, igo6, one Santos-Dumont 
made a short flight near Paris, France. On July 25, 1909, 
an aviator by the name of Bleriot flew across the English 
Channel, and shortly after this another aviator traveled 144 
miles before alighting. 

The statistics in 19 10 show that there are fully 500 styles 
of aeroplanes now being manufactured, and in France alone 
there are now 17 factories building and equipping machines, 
while there are 19 factories in England, 4 in Germany and 
3 in the United States, and it is estimated that fully $20,000,- 
000 and 20,000 people are engaged in their manufacture and 
development. 

723. What is the longest trip without alighting that has 
been made by the aeroplane? 

One hundred and forty-four miles. 

724. What is the fastest time made? 
• Ninety miles per hour. 

725. What is the greatest duration of sustained flight? 
Four hours. 

726. What are dirigible balloons? What records have 
been made with them? 

These are balloons that have a guiding adjustment attached, 
Mr. O. Erbsloh, on Feb. 9, 1909, sailed over the Alps from 



UNITED STATES HISTORY. 133 

St. Moritz to Budapest in 33 hours, being obliged to rise to 
a height of 19,000 feet in making the trip. 

In Belgium, on Nov. 5, 1908, a balloonist went up to a 
height of 18,000 feet. The thermometer that he carried with 
him registered 82 degrees below zero (Fahr.) when at this 
altitude. 

727. What is meant by conservation of natural resources? 
The withdrawal by the President of the United States of 

any of the public domain, such as coal lands, timber lands, 
water-power sites, farm lands, etc., from settlement, purchase, 
or preemption by any person, partnership or syndicate. 

728. What noted personages passed away during the first 
part of the year igiof 

King Edward VII. of England, who died May 6, 19 10, 
and was succeeded by his son, who is called George V. And 
Melville W. Fuller, Chief Justice of the United States 
Supreme Court, which position he had held for 22 years. 

729. What change was made in the political divisions of 
South Africa during igogf 

In that year England formed a confederation of the Trans- 
vaal, Cape Colony, Natal and the Orange River Colony, 
and gave it the name of "The United States of South Africa." 
Their union is similar to that of the various provinces of 
Canada. They have two capitals, Cape Town and Pretoria. 
Their combined population is about 5^ millions, and their 
area is about 660,000 square miles. 

730. What are some of the prominent questions now 
(igii) before the people for solution? 

1. Woman Suffrage. 

2. The abolishing of the American "saloon." 

3. Conservation of all natural resources. 

4. Aerial navigation. 



134 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

5. Government of all cities by a commission. 

6. Wireless telegraphy and telephony, 

7. Perfection of a universal language for the use of all 
nations. 

8. The nomination of all candidates for public office by 
the people direct, generally designated "direct primaries." 

9. The regulation of railroads, telegraph companies, tele- 
phone companies, water-power companies, and all other "pub- 
lic-service" companies by State Commissions. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

ON 

GEOGRAPHY. 



1. From what is the term geography derived! 

From the two Greek words ge (earth) and grapho 
(I describe). 

2. How many kinds of geography are there 1 
Three: mathematical, physical and political. 

3. Define mathematical geography. 

It treats of the form, magnitude and motions of the 
earth, and of the various imaginary lines on the surface. 

4. Give a definition of physical geography. 

It is a study and explanation of the solid and fluid parts 
of the earth's surface, the atmosphere, and all animal and 
vegetable life. 

5. What is political geography 1 

A treatise on the various countries on the earth's sur- 
face, the people inhabiting them, their governments, etc. 

6. What is the shape of the earth ? 

A sphere flattened at the two ends of one of its dia- 
meters, called the poles. 

7. How may its rotundity be proved J 
By journeying around it. 

13s 



136 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Approaching vessels, moreover, show their masts first, 
while their larger parts, the hulls, are still outside the line 
of vision. 

The shape of the earth's shadow, as cast on the moon 
during an eclipse, is always round; and, finally, measure- 
ments made by astronomers, bear like witness. 

8. What is supposed to have flattened the earth at the 
poles 1 

Its revolution while in a plastic condition. 

g. IIo7V mtich greater is the diameter at the equator than 
the diameter at the poles ? 

About twenty-six miles, the diameter at the equator 
being 7,925 miles. 

I o. What is the area of the earth's surface i 
About 196,900,278 square miles. 

1 1. What is the earth's hulk ? 
About 260,000,000,000 cubic miles. 

1 2. What is its weight i 

About 5,852,000,000,000,000 tons. 

1 3. What is its specific gravity ? 
5 I times heavier than water. 

14. What is the horizon^ 

That line where the sky appears to meet the earth. 

1 5. What is the axis of the earth 1 What are its poles f 
The diameter on which it performs its daily revolutions; 

the poles are the points where this axis meets the surface. 

16. How many revolutions has the earth 1 Defifie each. 
Two: diurnal and annual. Its diurnal revolution is its 

motion on its axis from vv'est to east; its annual is its 
rotation around the sun. 



GEOGRAPHY. I37 

17. Give proof s of the earth'' s ivtation. 

The motion of falling bodies is one of the most con- 
vincing proofs, while the fact that the sun and distant 
planets appear to revolve around the earth once in twenty- 
four hours is a reasonable proof of the earth's rotation. 

18. Explain how falling bodies prove it. 

If the earth had no rotary motion, a ball dropped from 
a high tower would strike the base at a point exactly ver- 
tical from the place of starting; but, as the earth has this 
motion, the top of the tower must move faster than the 
bottom, and the ball will strike outside of the line of the 
base, the difference being about proportional with the 
difference between the velocity of the top and that of the 
base. 

19. How do we know that the earth rotates from west to 
east? 

Because the sun appears to rise in the east, and also 
because a falling ball will strike outside of the base on the 
east side of a tower and on the inside of the base on the 
west side. 

20. What is the exact time of its rotation 1 
Just 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.09 seconds. 

2 1. What is the velocity of this rotation 1 

On the equator it is about 1.042 miles per hour. 

22. Where is the velocity least ? 

The velocity diminishes from the equator to the poles, 
where it becomes nothing. 

23. What causes day and night i 

The revolution of the earth on its axis. 

24. What is called the circle of illumination i 

The great circle which separates the dark side of the 



138 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

earth from the light side, or the dividing line between 
night and day. 

25. On what does the relative length of the day and night 
depend 1 

On the position of the earth toward the sun in its annual 
revolution. The sun, apparently moving north in the 
summer, produces in the northern hemisphere an increased 
circle of illumination and hence increased length of day- 
light, while in winter the same movement occurs in the 
southern hemisphere, decreasing, producing an increase of 
the length of daylight there. 

26. What causes the seasons! 

The revolution of the earth around the sun. 

27. What is the earth's orbit 1 Its estimated length ? 

The course it takes in its annual motion; the estimated 
length of the orbit is about 600,000,000 miles. 

28. What is the earths motion around the sun called? 
Its annual revolution. 

29. What is the exact time of a complete revolution? 
Just 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, 9.6 seconds. 

30. Define a siderial year. 

It is the exact time of a revolution. 

31. Define a tropical year. 

The interval between one March equinox and the next 
which is 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 49.7 seconds. 

32. Which value is taken for the civil year? 
The tropical year, or 365 a days, nearly. 

33. How great is the earths annual motion? 
About 68,000 miles an hour. 



GEOGRAPHY. 139 

34. What position does the earth occupy in the universe? 
The earth is one of a group of non-luminous bodies which 

revolve around the sun, accompany it through space, and 
reflect its light. 

35. What bodies compose the solar system? 

The sun, eight large bodies called planets, and, as far as 
is now known, about one hundred and seventy-five smaller 
bodies called planetoids or asteroids, besides many comets 
and meteors. Some of the planets have bodies called 
moons or satellites moving around them. 

36. What position does the earth occupy in this system? 

It belongs to the group nearest the sun, and is third 
from the sun in position. 

37. What is the distance of the earth from the sun ? 
About 92,000,000 miles. 

38. Has the sun any other motion than its movement 
through space? 

The sun, all the primary planets, and their satellites, 
rotate from west to east. 

39. To what theory has the uniformity of direction of tke 
movements of the planets and sun given rise? 

To a theory by La Place called the nebular hypothesis, 
which assumes that originally all material of which the 
solar system is composed was scattered throughout space 
in the form of very tenuous matter called nebula. It being 
granted that this matter began to accumulate around a 
centre, and that rotary motion was acquired, it can be 
shown on mechanical principles that such a system as our 
own might be evolved. 

40. What governs the velocity of the different planets? 

As the circumference of the orbits of the planets in- 
creases with their distance from the sun, their velocity at 



14© COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

the same time diminishes, and the time of revolution, or 
length of year, increases correspondingly. 

41. What causes the continual revolution of the earth and 
other planets 7 

On the supposition that the earth was given ■?i projectile 
force when separated from the nebulous sun, it would, if 
left to itself, have continued to move in one direction; but 
the attraction of the sun retained it in its orbit, its motion 
on its axis remaining unchanged. 

42. What gives the earth' s orbit its elliptical shapel 

The unequal attraction of the neighboring planets and 
of the sun. In the course of its revolution its positions 
are such that at certain points it is drawn away from the 
sun, and this produces an orbit longer one way than 
another. 

43. Why is it cold in winter and warm in summer^ 

Because of changes in the direction of the sun's rays. 
It is on the same principle that morning and evening are 
cooler than midday. 

44. What are zones 1 How many are there 1 What is the 
width and situation of each "i 

Belts or divisions of the earth, bounded by the tropic 
and polar circles. There are five of them — two frigid, 
two temperate, and one torrid. The north frigid lies 
between the North Pole and the Arctic Circle, and is 23!° 
in width; the north temperate lies between the Arctic 
Circle and the Tropic of Cancer, and is 43° in width; the 
torrid lies between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic 
of Capricorn, and extends 231° both north and south of 
the equator; the south temperate is of the same size as the 
north temperate, and lies between the Tropic of Capricorn 
and the Antarctic Circle; the south frigid is all of the 
earth's surface within the Antarctic Circle. 



GEOGRAPHY. 141 

45. What is the ecliptic? 

A great circle whose plane coincides with that of the 
earth's orbit. 

46. Why is the ecliptic so called? 

Because solar and minor eclipses can take place only 
when the moon is very near its plane. 

47. What is the inclination of the earth'' s axis to the plane 
of its orbit? 

It is 66^°, or 23^° out of a perpendicular direction. 

48. Why are the zones given their respective widths? 

During the revolution of the earth around the sun a part 
of the earth's surface comes to be directly perpendicular to 
the sun's rays. This belt, 47° wide, is enclosed by the tropics 
and termed torrid, meaning very hot. Geographers have 
decided that each temperate zone should extend to that 
line where the duration of the longest day is twenty-four 
hours; and as the inclination of the earth is 23 J°, that 
line should be 23^° from the poles, where the Polar Circles 
have been drawn. 

49. What would be the influence on the earth's climate if 
its axis should become horizontal to the plane of its orbit ? 

What the general influence of such a change would be is 
hard to say; but during the annual revolution of the earth 
every point on the entire surface would come, at some time, 
directly perpendicular to the sun's rays, and become tor- 
rid. When one pole would come perpendicular to the 
sun's rays, the other would necessarily be in darkness, and 
frigid. The length of the longest day at the equator 
would be twenty-four hours, and would occur every six 
months. This would give, at the equator, four zones in 
one year — two torrid and two temperate. 



142 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

50. Why would the incli?iation of the earth affect the 
climate? 

If the earth were perpendicular to the plane of its orbit 
there would be no change of seasons. As it becomes in- 
clined, the attitude of the earth toward the sun is continu- 
ally changed in the course of its annual revolution, and 
this change must produce a diversity of climate. It is by 
such inclination that the temperate zones acquire four sea- 
sons. 

51. Supposing the earth'' s inclination to be jo° or any other 
given figure, how can we ascertain the width of the several 
zones ? 

The inclination of the earth will vary the line where the 
length of the longest day is twenty-four hours, 1° for every 
degree of inclination. As it is now 231°, the line must be 
231° from the poles, or the boundary of the frigid zones. 
If the inclination should be 30°, the frigid zones would ex- 
tend 30°, and 30° each side of the equator would become per- 
pendicular to the sun's rays, making the torrid 60°, the tem- 
perate 30° and the frigid 30°; and so on of any other de- 
gree of inclination. The frigid zone would be in width 
the number of degrees of the inclination of the earth; the 
torrid would be the same each side of the equator, and the 
temperate what lay between. 

52. At what season is the earth nearest the suni 
About January i. 

53. Explain why it is nearer at one time than at another. 

As the orbit is an ellipse, the narrower parts must bring 
it, in its revolution around the sun, nearer the sun than the 
wider parts. 

54. When is the earth at its perihelion! 
When it is nearest the sun. 



GEOGRAPHY. I43 

55. When at its aphelion ? 
When it is farthest from the sun, 

56. V/hat are the equinoxes 'i How many and what are 
they called 1 

They are the times of the year when the sun's vertical 
rays fall on the equator. There are two, the vernal and 
the autumnal. 

57. On 7ijhat days of the year do they occur 1 

The vernal equinox takes place on the 20th of March 
and the autumnal on the 2 2d of September. 

58. What are the equinoctial points 1 

Where the ecliptic intersects the equator at two points 
diametrically opposite to each other. 

59. What are the solstices 1 

They are the times when the vertical rays of the sun reach 
their farthest northern or southern limit and fall on one or 
the other of the tropics. 

60. How many are there, and what are they called i 
Two, the summer and winter solstice. 

61. On what days of the year do they occur 7 

The summer solstice on the 21st of June, and the winter 
solstice on the 21st of December. 

62. What are the solstitial points 1 

The points midway between the equinoxes. 

63. What is a compass? 

A magnetic needle playing upon a pivot and always 
pointing nearly due north and south. 

64. What are known as the cardinal points J 

The cardinal points are north, south, east and west. 



144 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

65. What are the semi-cardinal points! 
Northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest. 

66. How many circles divide the earth ? 

Several great and small circles. The meridian circles 
and the equator are great circles; the tropic and polar cir- 
cles, and the parallels of latitude, are small circles. There 
are also circles of position or measurement, and climatic 
circles. 

67. Define great and small circles. 

All circles which divide the surface of the sphere into 
two equal parts are great circles; all others are small cir- 
cles. 

68. Define circles of position or measurement. 

They are the circles used to determine the geographical 
positions of places. 

69. Define climatic circles. 

Circles used to mark important climatic boundaries and 
are termed climatic circles or parallels. 

70. Name the circles of position. 

The equator, meridian circles and parallels of latitude. 

71. Name the climatic circles. 

The tropics and polar circles, and the ecliptic. 

72. Define a quadrant. 

It is one quarter of a circle, or 90°. 

73. Ho7v is every circle divided 1 
Into 360 equal parts, called degrees. 

74. What is a map? 

A drawing representing the whole or a part of the earth's 
surface. 



GEOGRAPHY. 1 45 

75. What are the lines, or circles, on a map? 

The equator, meridian circles, parallels, tropic and polar 
circles. 

76. What is the equator 1 

A great circle equally distant from the poles. 

77. Through what countries does the equator pass! 

It crosses Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Borneo and Su- 
matra in the East Indies, British East Africa, the Kongo 
Free State and French Kongo. 

78. What is a meridian circle! What is a meridiatil 

A meridian circle is any great circle passing through the 
poles. A meridian is half a meridian circle. 

79. What is longitude 1 

The distance either east or west from any given merid- 
ian. 

80. On what is longitude measured 1 
On the parallels and the equator. 

81. From what meridians do we reckon longitude 1 

The one which passes through Washington, D.C, and 
the one near Greenwich, in England, 

82. How many degrees west of Greenwich is Washington? 
About 77°. 

83. What is the greatest longitude a place can have? 
180° either east or west. 

84. Can a place have no longitude? 

If situated on the meridian from which we reckon, it can 
have no longitude. 

85. Reckoning from the meridian at Washington, what h 
fhe latitude and longitude of Quito? 

It has no latitude, and but 1° of longitude, west. 



146 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

86. What is the length of a degree of longitude? 

Sixty geographical miles at the equator, but it grows 
gradually less as it approaches the poles; at latitude 30° it 
is about fifty-two geographical miles; at latitude 60° it Is 
thirty, and at the poles it is nothing. 

87. Why does the length of a degree of longitude decrease 
after leaving the equator! 

All meridian lines meet at the poles; and as a degree of 
longitude is enclosed between meridian lines, the length 
must decrease as the lines approach the poles. 

88. What is a prime meridia?i ? 

The meridian from which longitude is reckoned. 

89. Where is a p7'ime meridian usually located? 

Each nation usually takes the meridian of its own capi- 
tal. 

90. Through what States does the meridian of Washington 
pass? 

New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and North 
Carolina. 

91. What countries in Asia are crossed by the same meridiatt 
circle ? 

Siberia, the Chinese Empire and British India. 

92. Explaiti how we reckon the difference iji time between 
two places when the difference of longitude between them is 
given, or vice versa ? 

As there are 360° of longitude it follows that in the 
earth's rotation one hour of time must pass through -^^ 
of 360°, or 15°. This reduced makes 1° in four minutes. 
Then knowing the difference in longitude the time is 
easily found, or, if the difference of time is known, a re- 
versed process must give the difference in longitude. 



GEOGRAPHY. I47 

93. What large city in Asia is nearly opposite Philadelphia \ 
Pekin. 

94. What is latitude ? 

The distance north or south of the equator, according to 
its direction, is north or south latitude. 

95. On what is latitude measured! 
Upon the meridians. 

96. What is the highest degree of latitude ? 
90°, which is at the poles. 

97. What is the length of a degree of latitude? 
Sixty geographical, or 69I statute miles. 

98. What is the basis of a geographical mile 1 
One minute of longitude at the equator. 

99. Through what countries and bodies of water does the. 
Tropic of Cancer pass 1 

Bahama Islands, Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, Pacific Ocean, 
Hawaiian Islands, near Canton China, British India, Ara- 
bian Sea, Arabia, Egypt, and Atlantic Ocean. 

1 00. The Tropic of Capricorn ? 

Brazil, Paraguay, Argentine Republic, Chili, Pacific 
Ocean, Australia, Madagascar, South African Republic, 
British South Africa, Damara Land, and Atlantic Ocean. 

1 01. The Arctic Circle 1 

Greenland, Northwest Territories, of Canada, Alaska, 
Siberia, Russia, Sweden, Norway and Atlantic Ocean. 

102. The Antarctic Circle 1 

Land has been discovered in this region, but no effort 
has been made to chart and name it. 

103. Why is it colder at the Antarctic Circle than at the 
Arctic? 

In the northern hemisphere there are vast tracts of land 



148 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

to receive the rays of heat and warm the atmosphere; but 
towards the south pole the rays of heat seem to be lost on 
the great bodies of water, and the air is not warmed. 

104. What part of North America is in the same latitude 
as England and Ireland 1 

The southern part of Canada. 

105. How does the climate of Labrador differ materially 
from that of England 1 

The winds from the north, and the Arctic current which 
flows near the coast of Labrador, cause the climate to be 
too cold for agriculture. In the same latitude in England 
snow is seldom seen, owing to the nearness of the warm 
waters of the Gulf Stream, a branch of which flows into the 
Irish Sea, while the northeast current flows by the coast of 
Norway. The Gulf Stream renders the climate of West- 
ern Europe mild and moist. 

106. Why are the winters more mild at Puget Sound than 
in the region of Lake Superior? 

The Japan current, which passes our Pacific coast there, 
brings the warm waters of the torrid zone. 

107. Describe the Gulf Sti^eam. 

It issues from the Gulf of Mexico, spreads out a breadth 
of 150 miles, and sweeps along the shore of North America 
to Newfoundland. Here it meets the Arctic current and 
divides into two branches, one of which takes a southeast- 
erly course towards the coast of Africa, while the other 
flows in a northeasterly direction towards the British Isles 
and Norway. 

108. Where and what is the principal Sargasso Sea 1 

It is a mass of floating seaweed, situated in the middle 
of the Atlantic Ocean, and occupying the eddy or whirl 
caused by the several ocean currents which surround it 
There are smaller ones in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans 



GEOGRAPHY. I49 

109. What is the meaning <?/ sargasso? 
It is a Spanish name, meaning grassy, 
no. What are the natural divisions of land i 

Continents, islands, peninsulas, isthmuses, capes, pro 
montories, mountains, hills, plains and valleys. 

111. What are the natural divisions 0/ water? 
Oceans, seas, gulfs or bays, straits, lakes and rivers. 

112. How are straits divided? 

Into straits proper, passages, sounds and channels. 

113. What is the size of the Eastern Continent compared 
with the Western ? 

It is little more than twice as large. The Western 
Continent contains about 15,000,000 square miles. 

114. What is the area of the entire surface of the globe i 
About 200,000,000 square miles. 

115. Which of the grand divisions is the largest, which the 
smallest, which the most populous, and which the most fertile? 

Asia is the largest, Europe the smallest and most popu- 
lous, and South America the most fertile. 

116. What are the political divisions of North America ? 
The United States, Canada, Danish America, Mexico, 

Central America, and the West Indies. 

117. Of what races does the population of the U. 5. 
consist f 

Caucasians, Negroes, Indians and Chinese. 

118. What is the population of the United States accord- 
ing to the igio census? 

Approximately 90,000,000 (with its foreign possessions 
fully 100,000,000). 

1 19. What are the leading forms of industry of the people? 
Agriculture, manufacturing, mining and commerce. 



150 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

120. What are exports and imports ? 

Exports are those commodities shipped out of the country, 
and imports those which come in. 

121. What are the leading exports and imports ? 

The leading exports are cotton, breadstuffs, provisions, 
petroleum, tobacco, and many varieties of manufactured 
goods. The chief imports are dry goods, sugar, coffee, 
tea, hides, iron, tin and cutlery. 

122. With what countries does the United States have the 
greatest commerce 'i 

England, Germany, France, Canada, West Indies, Brazil, 
China, and Japan. 

1 23. What country contains the greatest number of inhabit' 
ants in proportion to its area^ 

England with about 23,000,000 souls. 

1 24. How does E7igland compare in area with the United 
States 1 

It is about one-sixtieth as large, or about the size of 
Wisconsin. 

125. Which is larger, Europe or the United States 2 
Europe is about one-tenth larger. 

126. How does Europe compare in size and population 
to Asia? 

Asia contains four times as many square miles and two 
and a-half times as many inhabitants. 

127. What is a frith, or estuary? 

A narrow arm of the sea into which a river empties, 

128. What is an archipelago? 

A sea interspersed with many islands. 



GEOGRAPHY. 151 

129. What is a delta ? 

When a river discharges its waters by several outlets, 
the tract of land embraced by these outlets is called a delta, 

130. Why is this tract of land called a delta ? 

From its resemblance to the fourth letter of the Greek 
alphabet, which is delta, shaped like a triangle. 

131. What is a road, or roadstead ? 

A marine space some distance from the shore where veS' 
sels can anchor in safety. 

132. What is an oasis? 
A fertile spot in a desert. 

133. What is the valley or basin of a river? 

The tract of country drained by that river and its trib- 
utaries. 

134. What river of the world has the greatest basin, and 
what is the extent of this basin ? 

The Amazon; it contains more than 2,275,000 square 
miles. 

135. What is the extent of the basin of the Mississippi? 
About 1,244,000 square miles. 

136. What is the extent of the basin of the (a) La Plata ? 
(b) Nile? (c) Obi? (d) Yenisei? (e) Yang-tse-Kiang ? 
{i) Niger? (g) Volga? (h) Ganges? (i) Mackenzie? (j) St. 
Lawrence? (k) Saskatchawan? (1) Orinoco? (m) Columbia? 

(a) 1,242,000; (b) 1,425,000; (r) 1,250,000; (d) 1,040,- 
000; (^) 950,000 ; (/) 800,000 ; (<if) 600,000 ; (/z) 416,000; 
(i) 590,000; (7) 480,000-, {k) 478,000; (/) 340,000; 
(m) 298,000. 

137. How wide is the mouth of the Amazon f 
(^ne hundred and eighty miles. 



152 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

138. Into how many classes is mankind divided as regard* 
social condition ? 

Into four : the enlightened, the civilized, the half- 
civilized, and the savage. 

139. Which nations are enlightened, which civilized^ and 
which half -civilized 'i 

Nearly all the people of Europe, of the United States 
and Canada, and of their respective colonies, are en- 
lightened. The civilized people are nearly all those of 
South America, Mexico, China and Japan, The half- 
civilized people would embrace a large part of the people 
of Hindoostan, Indo-China, Turkey and Egypt. 

140. Who ate barbarians, and who savages? 

Many of the tribes of Central Asia, the Barbary States, 
and the wandering tribes of Arabs are barbarians, a little 
raised above the savages, who are typified by the Indians 
of America, many of the negro tribes of Africa, and the 
Papuans of Oceanica, 

141. What class of men are called jiomads, and why? 

The Arabs are called nomads because of their wander- 
ing nature, living in movable camps with no fixed loca- 
tion. 

142. What are the principal forms of governments 
Republican and monarchical. 

143. What is a republic, and what a monarchy? 

A country governed by men who are chosen by the 
people is called a republic. A monarchy is a government 
in which the chief power passes by inheritance, and the 
ruler holds his authority for life. 

144. Name the principal republics of the world. 

The United States, France, Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil, 
Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chili 



GEOGRAPHY. 153 

Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Guatemala, Honduras, 
San Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Hayti, San Domingo, 
the Transvaal, Orange Free State, Liberia, Andorra, San 
Marino, Montenegro, and Cuba. 

145. What is an unlimited, and what a limited monarchy ? 

The will of the sovereign is the supreme law of an un- 
limited monarchy. A limited monarchy is one in which 
the will of the monarch is limited by a constitution. 

146. What kind of a monarchy is that of (a) Russia ? (b) 
England? (c) Germany? (d) Turkey? (e) Spain? (f) China? 

{a) Unlimited ; {b) limited ; {c) limited ; {d) unlimited ; 
{e) limited ; (/) unlimited. 

147. What is a constitution? 
The fundamental or organic law. 

148. What is the sovereign of an empire called? 

An emperor, sultan, shah, czar, khedive, or mikado. 

149. What are the political divisions of the earth ? 
Empires, kingdoms, republics, states, counties, town- 
ships, and cities. 

150. Define each of these. 

An empire is a country governed by an emperor ; a 
kingdom, one governed by a king ; a republic, one gov- 
erned by representatives chosen by the people ; a state, a 
division of a republic or kingdom having laws of its own 
harmonizing with those of the general government; a 
county, a division of a state or kingdom ; a city, a 
municipal or local organization for governmental pur- 
poses. 

151. What is the capital of a country? What is the me- 
tropolis? 

The capital is the seat of government. The metropolis 
is the largest city. 



154 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

152. How many distinct races of men are there? 

Five: Caucasian, Mongolian, American or Indian, 
African, and Malay. 

153. What is the estimated number of inhabitants of the 
earth? How divided? 

The estimated number is about 1,400,000,000. The Cau- 
casian and Mongol races number more than four-fifths, the 
Ethiopian about one-seventh, the Malay about one tw^enty- 
fifth, the Indian about one one-hundredth. 

154. How many important systems of religion prevail? 
Seven: Christianity, Buddhism, Brahminism, Con- 
fucianism, Shintoism, Mohammedanism, and Judaism. 

155- What is the estimated popular strength of each 
system? 

The Christians, about 477,000,000; the Buddhists, about 
147,000,000; the Brahmins, about 190,000,000; the Con- 
fucians, about 256,000,000; the Shinto, about 14,000,000; 
the Mohammedans, about 176,000,000; and Judaism, about 
7,000,000. 

156. Into what great classes are Christians divided? 
Roman Catholics, Greek Catholics and Protestants. 

157. What is the Mohammedan religion? 

The Mohammedans are followers of the prophet Moham- 
med, who lived in Arabia about six hundred years after 
Christ, They believe in one God; they deem Moses and 
Christ true prophets, but Mohammed as the greatest and 
last. The Koran is their holy scripture. 

158. What are the principal points of faith of (a) the 
BuddhistSj (b) the BraluninSj (c) the Confucians, and (d) 
the followers of Shinto? 

(a) The Buddhist religion was originated by Buddha in 



GEOGRAPHY. 



155 



the sixth century, B.C., and was characterized by admir- 
able humanity and morality, with the idea that death was 
but a transitional stage of existence. Later the religion 
became mixed with an idolatrous worship of its founder 
and other supposed kindred beings. 

(b) The Brahmins believe that Brahma was the creator 
of the world and that he was the first deity of a Hindoo 
triad. Their idols represent this union of three deities, 
and their worship is idolatrous. 

{c) Confucianism is the system of morality taught by 
Confucius and his disciples, and forms the basis of Chinese 
jurisprudence and education. It can hardly be called a 
religion, as it does not inculcate the worship of any 
deity. 

(d') The Shinto religion has been the chief religion of 
Japan, and includes the worship of ancestors and sacrifice 
to departed heroes. 

159. What is the principal difference between the Christian 
and Jewish religions'} 

The Jews reject Jesus as a Saviour, and expect a Mes- 
siah yet to come. The Talmud is their bible. 

160. Who are termed pagans 1 

Idolators and nature-worshippers. They comprise the 
greater part of the inhabitants of Asia and Africa, nearly 
all those of the islands of the Pacific, and the Indians of 
America. 

161. What are the longest four rivers in the world 1 

The Mississippi with its chief tributary, the Missouri, 
has a length of 4,200 miles; the Nile is 4,0.00 miles long; 
the Amazon, 3,750 ; the Yenisei, 3,400. 

162. Name and give the length of the longest four rivers oj 
North America. 

The Mississippi proper, 2,800 miles long ; the Missouri, 



156 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

2,900 ; the Mackenzie, 2,300 ; the Arkansas, 2,000 ; and 
the Saskatchawan, 1,900. .jj 

163. What would be the length of the St. Lawrence throu^ 
the chain of lakes to the head of the St. Louis River 1 

About 2,000 miles. 

164. Give names and lengths of the longest four rivers of 
South America. 

The Amazon, 3,750 miles long ; the La Plata, 2,300 ; the 
Orinoco, 1,550; the San Francisco, 1,550. 

165. Th ose of Europe. 

The Volga, 2,000 miles long ; the Danube, 1,600 ; the 
Don, 1,000; and the Dnieper, 1,000. 

166. Of Asia. 

The Yenisei, 3,400 miles long ; the Yang-tse-Kiang, 
3,320 ; the Obi, 3,000 ; the Lena, 2,700. 

167. Of Africa. 

The Nile, 4,000 miles long ; the Niger, 3,000 ; the 
Zambesi, 1,800 ; the Senegal, 1,200. 

168. What is ?ioiiceable of the Amazo?i River? 

The Amazon is a broad, deep river, and navigable for 
large vessels about 2,400 miles, and for steamboats to the 
foot of the Andes. The tide flows up 600 miles. The 
waters teem with alligators, and the banks are lined with 
almost impenetrable forests, filled with huge serpents and 
ferocious beasts of prey, troops of monkeys, swarms of 
insects, and flocks of gaudily-colored birds. 

169. Of the Mississippi! 

The Mississippi rises in Lake Itasca, and is navigable 
to the Falls of St. Anthony, which are very heavy rapids. 
The upper part of the river, in many places, has high and 
rugged banks, while in the lower part levees are built along 
the shores to prevent inundations. Its mouth is not 



GEOGRAPHY. I57 

favorable for the navigation of large vessels. Instead of 
being broad and clear it has many outlets, and sand-bars 
are continually forming. 

170. Of the Missouri! 

This river is very rapid. It is much larger than the 
Mississippi in its upper part, and is navigable to the Great 
Falls above Fort Benton, Montana, where there are some 
grand cataracts. 

171. Of the Nile? 

The source of the Nile was not definitely known until 
recently, but through the explorations of Livingstone and 
Stanley it has been pretty well ascertained. At Khartoum, 
in the Soudan, the river divides, and these divisions are 
called respectively the Blue Nile and the White Nile. The 
Blue Nile rises in Abyssinia, and the White Nile, the real 
source of the river, in Lake Victoria Nyanza. The over- 
flow of the Lower Nile from June to December is caused 
by the tropical rains in Abyssinia and those of the interior. 
The river gradually rises for three months and as slowly 
subsides, leaving a narrow stream for the remainder of the 
year. By this overflow the valley lands for an extent of 
from ten to twenty miles from the river bank become 
among the most fertile in the world. Above its mouth for 
nearly 1,500 miles no rivers or creeks flow into it. 

172. Describe the Rio de la Plata. 

The La Plata River is a great estuary 200 miles long, 
formed by the union of the Parana and Uruguay Rivers. 
For 1,000 miles on the Parana there is continuous and safe 
navigation for vessels of three hundred tons burden. 

173. Describe Egypt. 

Egypt is nearly as large as Texas; about three-fourths 
of its area consists of sandy deserts. The settled parts are 
principally in the valley of the Nile, which is from 10 to 
20 miles wide. Egypt is noted for its ancient ruins. Its 



158 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

pyramids, temples, sphinxes, statues, and the caves hewn 
in the rocks, are traces of its former civilization. 

174. By what two great commercial routes can we travel 
around the world, sta?'tingfrom New York ? 

We can cross the Atlantic; enter the Mediterranean 
Sea; pass through the Suez Canal; sail down the Red Sea 
into the Indian Ocean ; skirt the southern points of Asia 
to Canton; thence cross the Pacific to San Francisco; and 
thence cross the continent by rail to New York. 

Or, we can sail southwest until nearly opposite Rio 
Janeiro; cross the Atlantic; round the Cape of Good 
Hope; sail through the Indian Ocean to the East Indies, 
and thence up the China Sea to Canton; cross the Pacific 
to San Francisco; sail thence to Panama and cross the 
Isthmus by rail; and sail thence north through the West 
Indies, to New York. 

175. What country has the most and the longest lines of 
railroad 1 

The United States. 

176. Between what parallels does the United States lie, 
and how far a7-e these pa7-allels apart ? 

Between the 26th and 49th. The distance from the 
southern point of Texas to the British possessions is about 
1,600 miles. 

177. What is the longitude of San Francisco, and about 
how far is it from New York City? 

It is about 45° west from Washington, and about 3,000 
miles from New York. 

178. What State is the geographical centre of the United 
States? 

Kansas, if we do not include Hawaii in the United 
States. It is also the centre of population. 



GEOGRAPHY. 159 

179. Which country produces the most cotton 1 Which the 
most sugar i Which the most coffee? Which the most rice? 
Which the most tea? 

Of cotton the United States produces most; of sugar, 
the West Indies; of coffee, Brazil; of rice and tea, China. 

180. What countries produce largely of me same products ? 

Of cotton, the United States, South America and Egypt; 
of sugar, the United States and South America; of coflfee, 
Java, the West Indies and the United States; of rice, the 
United States and Egypt. 

181. What country produces the most spices? 

The Spice Islands are celebrated for the production of 
cloves, nutmegs, and other spices. Java produces more 
pepper than all other countries combined. 

182. What are cloves^ and how do they grow ? 

The unexpanded clove flowers, dried. The clove tree 
grows to the height of from twenty to thirty feet. 

183. What are nutmegs? 

The fruit of the nutmeg tree. This tree is about the 
size of the common pear. 

184. What is a mountain system? 

Several ranges near each other and connected. 

185. Name the mountain systems of America. 

The Rocky, Californian, Alleghanian, Andean, Parime 
and Brazilian. 

186. What is the length of the longest day at the equator^ 
at the Tropic of Cancel', on the Arctic Circle, and at the North 
Pole? 

At the equator the length of the days is always twelve 
hours; at the tropics the longest day is about thirteen and 
one-half hours; on tlie Polar Circles twenty-four hours; at 
the Poles six months 



i6o COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

187. Why does so little rai?i fall in South America west 
of the A?ides? 

Rains from the Pacific are of rare occurrence, and the 
height of the Andes shuts off the rain-clouds from the east. 

188. Which large city ifi Europe is ?ioiedfor{z) the 7nanu- 
facttire of cotton cloth ? (b) Which for silks / (c) For 
linen ? (d) For cutlery ? (e) For laces ? 

{a) Manchester; {/>) Lyons; {c) Belfast; {d) Sheffield; 
{e) Brussels. 

189. What are the leading pursuits of the people of the 
New England States 1 

Agriculture, manufacturing, lumbering and commerce. 

190. What are the products of the JVeui England States'? 
Grains, butter, cheese, wool, maple sugar, and live stock. 

191. Where are manufactures carried on to the greatest 
extent in these States 1 Name some of the most famous cities 
for the manufacture of cotto?i ? 

The chief manufacturing centres are on the Merrimac 
and Pawtucket Rivers. Lowell, Lawrence, Fall River, 
Pawtucket and Woonsocket are noted for their cotton 
manufactures. 

192. What is remarkable about the Merri^nac River 1 

It is said to be more extensively used for manufacturing 
purposes than any other river in the world. 

193. What is said of the climate, soil, agricultural products, 
and commerce of New England 1 

The winters are long and severe, and the summers short 
but hot. The soil is generally stony and not very fertile, 
except in the valleys. The agricultural products are not 
sufficient to supply the wants of the population. The 
many excellent harbors, the comparative nearness to 
Europe, and the abundance of ship timber have contrib- 
uted to establish an extensive foreign commerce. 



GEOGRAPHY. l6l 

194. How do the New England States compare in size 
with California! 

They are about two-fifths of California's size. 

195. What jioted colleges are located at Cambridge and New 
Haven 1 

Harvard at Cambridge and Yale at New Haven. 

196. What important i?idustries are carried on at Lynn^ 
New Bedford, Springfield, Worcester and Portland i 

Lynn is famous for its manufacture of boots and shoes, 
New Bedford for its whale fisheries and manufactories, 
Springfield for the greatest arsenal in the United States, 
Worcester as a railroad and manufacturing centre, Port- 
land for the terminus of the Grand Trunk Railway of 
Canada. 

197. Where is Mount Washington, and what is its height i 
It is the highest peak of the White Mountains in New 

Hampshire, and is 6,288 feet high. 

198. Where is marble obtained 1 

Chiefly from extensive quarries in Vermont and Italy. 
It is found also in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 
Tennessee and Georgia. 

199. What is granite, and where is it found 1 

It is a very hard rock, much used for millstones and solid 
architecture. It is found in the Eastern States. 

200. What State is called (a) the '■'■Granite State''? (b) 
the "Pine-tree State"! (c) the " Green Mountain State" ? (d) 
the ''Bay State" ? 

{a) New Hampshire; {b) Maine; {c) Vermont; (^d) Mas- 
sachusetts. 

201. Por what are Lexington and Concord famous ? 

For the opening engagements of the war of the Revolu- 
tion, April 19, 1775. 



1 62 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

202. How many square miles in the area of Rhode Island^ 
and how many States of the same size could be formed out of 
the State of Texas 1 

Rhode Island contains 1,300 square miles. Texas would 
make 183 Rhode Islands. 

203. How does Maine compare in size with the other five 
New England States 1 

It is nearly as large. 

204. What is particularly noticeable about the northern 
boundary of Connecticut 1 

The boundary line, otherwise straight, swerves in order 
to take one township and part of another from the State of 
Connecticut and give them to Massachusetts. 

205. What is the size of California? 
About 189,000 square miles. 

206. What is the surface of this State? 

A large r>ortion of it is traversed by mountain ranges. A 
great agricultural valley lies between the Sierra Nevada 
and the Coast Range, and extends 500 miles. 

207. What is the name of this valley, and from what did 
it derive its name ? 

It is called the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley, and 
derives its name from the Sacramento River, which rises 
in the northern part of the State, and the San Joaquin, 
which rises in the southern part. These rivers flow to- 
ward each other and empty into a branch of San Fran- 
cisco Bay. 

208. What is the Golden Gate? 

A narrow strait about four miles long, which is the en- 
trance from the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay. 

209. What is the climate of the Pacific coast ? 

It is mild and equable in temperature, but has great ex- 



GEOGRAPHY. 163 

tremes of moisture. The seasons are termed the wet and 
the dry. About Puget Sound there is a greater rain-fall 
than in any other part of the United States, except Alaska. 

210. What natural curiosities do we find in California! 

The Big Trees and the Yosemite Valley are two of the 
chief wonders of nature. The Big Trees are gigantic ever- 
greens, some more than one hundred feet in circumfer- 
ence, 400 feet high, and 3,000 years old. The Yosemite 
Valley is a remarkable chasm ten miles long and three 
wide, with perpendicular walls of granite from 3,000 to 
5,000 feet high, over which the Merced River, in three 
leaps, falls more than 2,000 feet. 

211. What are the products of this section 1 

Wheat, wool, lumber, salmon, gold, wine, and a great 
variety of fruits. 

212. What can be said of the fisheries of the Columbia 
River? 

They are an immense industry. 

213. What can be said of the valley of Puget Sound, ana 
its climate 1 

The Puget Sound country is very fertile and its climate 
mild, which is due to the warm ocean current flowing by 
its shores. The same latitude on the Atlantic is almost 
a cold, barren waste. 

214. Describe Alaska. 

It has an area of 577,000 square miles, or more than ten 
times that of Illinois. The climate is cold, and with the 
exception of the southern extremity it seems unfit for civil- 
ization. In the northern part the coast is low and marshy, 
while in the south it is mountainous. The Yukon and 
Pelly Rivers are remarkable for their breadth and 
length. 



164 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

215. What is its form of government 1 

It is a Territory, but has no legislature and no represen 
tation in Congress. 

216. Is this possession valuable to the United States'! 

Its value is already considerable, and may become very 
great, as the salmon fisheries are inexhaustible and mining 
is attracting much attention. The seal fisheries yield an 
annual revenue to the government, which has varied some- 
what in recent years. Late discoveries of gold have added 
to its value. 

217. How are the seal fisheries conducted^ 

A contract or license is granted to a company, who are 
allowed to kill so many seals each year and pay the gov- 
ernment for this exclusive privilege. 

218. Which is the principal settlement, and what is its 
climatic peculiarity 1 

Sitka. The rain-fall at this point is about seven and a 
half feet a year. 

219. Wheti was gold discovered in California ? 
It was first announced in February, 1848. 

220. What is the climate of Calif orfiia? 

There are two seasons, the wet and the dry. In the lati- 
tude of San Francisco the wet season lasts from the middle 
of November to the middle of May. 

221. What is the diffe?-ence in latitude between San Fran- 
cisco and Richmond! 

Richmond is about twenty-five miles south of the lati- 
tude of San Francisco. 

222. How far north of Richmond is New York City? 
About 230 miles. 



GEOGRAPHY. 165 

223. What part of South America is in the same latitude 
iouth of the equator, that the middle of the United States is 
north of it? 

The northern part of Patagonia. 

224. How does Brazil compare in size with the United 
States {not iricluding Alaska or the Hawaiian Islands) ? 

It is a little larger than the United States, containing 
about 3,230,000 square miles. 

225. What city of the West Indies is in the same latitude 
north of the equator that Rio faneiro is south of it? 

Havana. 

226. Describe South America. 

It is a vast peninsula, occupying the southern half of the 
Western Continent. Its length from north to south is 
about 4,000 miles,, and its greatest breadth is about 3,000. 
Three great mountain systems diversify the surface, viz., 
the Andean, which stretches along the western coast; the 
Parime, which consists of several parallel ranges extending 
from east to west between the Orinoco and the Amazon 
Rivers; and the Brazilian system, which consists of two 
ranges running parallel to the coast of Brazil, with several 
diverging chains. Between these mountain systems ex- 
tends a vast plain, which may be divided into four parts 
— the llanos, the selvas, the pampas, and the wastes of 
Patagonia. 

227. What are the llanos? 

Level grazing tracts which occupy most of the basin of 
the Orinoco. During the dry season they are parched and 
desolate, but with the return of rain rich pastures are 
abundant. 

228. What are the selvas? 

The forest plains of the Amazon, occupying the lower 
part of the basin and extending as far as the periodical in 
undation. 



l66 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

229. What are the pampas 1 

Tracts in Argentina, covered with a heavy growth of 
grass which affords sustenance to great herds of cattle 
and horses. 

230. What are the wastes of Patagonia ? 
Sterile tracts covered with sand and gravel. 

231. What is a plateau, or tableland? 

An extensive fiat tract considerably elevated above the 
level of the sea. 

232. How may the plateaus of South America be divided! 
The Great Plateau of the Andes ; the elevated plains of 

Quito, Bogota, and Popayan ; and the tableland of Brazil. 

233. Describe the plateau of the Andes. 

It is an extensive tract of lofty tableland, stretching along 
the tops of the Andes between parallels 3° and 15° south 
latitude, with an elevation of nearly 13,000 feet. 

234. Describe Quito. 

It is situated under the equator, on the side of a volcanic 
mountain, 9,500 feet above the sea. The climate is that 
of continuous spring. Earthquakes are frequent. Eleven 
summits of the Andes covered with perpetual snow are in 
sight of it. 

235. What are Chimborazo and Cotopaxi? 
Volcanoes of Ecuador. Chimborazo is a peak of the 

Andes range, 21,440 feet high. Cotopaxi, 18,900 feet high, 
is the most tremendous volcano in the world. The flame 
sometimes rises 3,000 feet above the top. 

236. What is the Peruvian balsa? 

A light raft, formed of inflated skins covered with a light 
platform. It is used for unloading vessels through the 
breakers, which continually dash upon the shores and 
prevent the approach of any ordinary boat. 



GEOGRAPHY. 167 

237. Describe the Cassiqiiiare River. 

It connects the Orinoco and Rio Negro Rivers. The 
tract of country through which it flows is so level that a 
rise or fall of the Orinoco governs the course of that river 
which flows during a portion of the year into the Amazon, 
and at other times in an opposite direction. 

238. How far north does South America extendi 
Twelve and a half degrees north of the equator. 

239. How may we divide the countries of South America! 
Into three divisions : Portuguese South America, Spanish 

South America, and the Guianas. 

240. What does Portuguese South America comprise 1 
The Empire of Brazil. 

241. What do the Guianas comprise 7 
The British, French and Dutch colonies. 

242. What does Spa?iish South Atnerica comprise? 

Nine independent republics, viz.: Venezuela, Colombia, 
Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chili, Argentine Confederation, 
Uruguay and Paraguay. 

243. Why are these republics called the Spanish division ? 
They were once colonies of Spain, and the Spanish lan- 
guage is spoken there. 

244. Describe these republics. 

Venezuela, the most northern country of South America, 
is tropical in climate, and exports coffee, cocoa and tropical 
fruits. 

Colombia occupies the northwest part, embracing the 
Isthmus of Panama, and is the most important of the five 
northern republics. 

Ecuador lies south of Colombia, and its exports are co 
coa, coffee. India-rubber and Peruvian bark. 



l68 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

Peru lies south of Ecuador, and has more miles of rail 
road than any other country of South America. Its chief 
exports are guano and saltpetre. Silver mining is an im- 
portant industry. 

Bolivia has but little commerce ; its people are not very 
energetic. Its exports are Peruvian bark, saltpetre and 
silver-ore. 

Chili occupies a narrow strip of sea-coast extending from 
Peru to Cape Horn. It is the most enterprising country 
of South America, and a large proportion of its inhabitants 
are Europeans. Its chief exports are copper-ore, silver and 
wheat. The climate is semi-tropical in the northern part 
and extends into the cold, barren regions on the south. 

Argentina, or the Argentine Confederation, stands next 
to Chili in enterprise. Its climate is semi-tropical, and its 
exports are hides, wool and flax. The country is little 
more than an extensive plain, with the finest grazing in the 
world. Large herds of cattle, horses and sheep are suc- 
cessfully handled here. Two-thirds of the hides are shipped 
to the United States. Education is rapidly advancing. 
The location of this country is in the southern hemisphere 
what that of the United States is in the northern. 

Uruguay and Paraguay formerly belonged to the Ar- 
gentine Confederation, but are now independent republics. 
Their exports and climate are similar to the Argentine Con- 
federation. Paraguay is the weakest of the nine Spanish 
republics, and is the only other country of South America, 
excepting Bolivia, having no sea-coast. 

245. How many inhabitants has South Americaj and how 
are they divided in regard to race? 

South America has somewhat less than 35,000,000 inhabit- 
ants, of whom one-third are whites, one-third Indians, and 
the remainder negroes and persons of mixed blood. 

246. What about local commerce and civilizationf 

As South America is largely in the torrid zone, the climate 



GEOGRAPHY. 169 

does not inspire activity, and commerce naturally drags; 
but as civilization advances, general prosperity increases. 
The whole continent is fast feeling the influence of the en- 
lightenment of the United States and Europe. 

247. What are the natural resources and industries! 
There are no large gulfs or bays to indent the shores, 

and no great lakes, and hence small natural facilities for 
commerce. The opportunities for manufacturing, also, are 
far inferior to those of North America. The great central 
plain supports millions of cattle, horses and sheep. The 
industries mostly have to do with the products of tropical 
climates. Gold, silver, copper and diamonds are found 
and extensively mined. 

248. Which is the most important country for the commerce 
of the United States ? 

Brazil. 

249. What can you say of the railroads of South America! 
They are short. Chili has the best system, and Brazil 

has about 3,000 miles. 

250. What fart of South America is in the same latitude 
as Cape Colony! 

Uruguay. 

251. What city in Australia is in nearly the same latitude 
as Buenos Ay res ? 

Sydney. 

252. What large city in the United States is in nearly the 
same longitude as Quito! 

Buffalo. 

253. What part of the western coast of Africa is in the 
same latitude as Cape Gallinas! 

Near Cape Verde. 



170 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

254. Where is Cape Horni 

It projects from Horn Island, which is southwest from 
Hermit Island. 

255. What is Tierra del Fuegol 

The most southern part of the inhabited world, and is 
peopled by a race of savages who live chiefly by fishing. 

256. Whence did it derive its name? 

It was discovered by Magellan, in 1520, and named by 
him on account of the number of fires he saw along the 
coast, which he supposed to be eruptions of volcanoes. 
The meaning of Tierra del Fuego is "land of fire." 

257. Why was Patagonia so named? 

It was taken from the Spanish word Fatagon — a man 
with large feet. Magellan gave the inhabitants of this 
country the name of Patagonians on account of their feet, 
which, being wrapped in skins, seemed much larger than 
they really were. 

258. Which cape in South America is the most northern, 
which the most southern ? 

Cape Gallinas is farthest north, and Cape Horn farthest 
south. 

259. Which is the most eastern, and which the most western ? 

Cape St. Roque is the most eastern, and Cape Parina 
the most western. 

260. Where is Lake Reys, and what river is its outlet? 

It is in Peru, and the Ucayle River is its outlet. This 
lake is the source of the Amazon. 

261. What is the general character of the lakes of South 
America ? 

With the exception of Lake Titicaca and Lake Ma- 
racaibo, they are more like vast morasses than lakes. 



GEOGRAPHY. 171 

262. Describe Lakes Titicaca and Maracaibo. 

Lake Titicaca is a saltish lake, about half as large as 
Lake Erie, and is situated on the Great Plateau nearly 
13,000 feet above the level of the Pacific Ocean. Its 
waters are inland, having no outlet to the ocean. Lake 
Maracaibo is, more properly speaking, a bay, being con- 
nected by a strait with the Caribbean Sea. 

263. Where are the Lobos and Chincha Islands'} 
They lie off the coast of Peru. 

264. For what are they valuable^ 

They are of great value for the immense quantities of 
guano found upon them. 

265. Which is the smallest division of South America, and 
what State is about the same size? 

French Guiana, which contains about 3,500 square miles, 
is about the size of Maine. 

266. How does Brazil compare in size to the whole of 
South America! 

It contains nearly one-half of the peninsula. 

267. Describe this country. 

It was once a colony of Portugal, and Portuguese is the 
language of the civilized inhabitants. An ocean telegraph 
connects Brazil with Portugal, and another with the United 
States by way of the West Indies. Brazil furnishes the 
greater part of the coffee used in the world, more than one- 
half of which comes to the United States. Cotton, sugar, 
hides, dye-woods, India-rubber and diamonds are also pro- 
duced in large quantities. 

268. What important enterprise is being pushed on the 
Isthmus of Panama! 

A ship canal. It is understood that it shall not become 
a possession of any foreign government. With Colombia 



172 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

we have a treaty of protection. The United States guaran- 
tees that no other power shall take possession of her lands 
or government. 

269. Who was Count Ferdinand de Lessepsl 

A great French engineer who built the Suez Canal, 
and who started the building of the canal on the Isthmus 
of Panama. 

270. Describe the Andes Mountains. 

They begin in low hills on the Isthmus of Panama, and 
end at Cape Horn in a bleak and naked rock rising 3,500 
feet above the sea. In Patagonia they rise abruptly from 
the shore, but farther north they are from 60 to 100 miles 
from the coast. They consist generally of parallel ranges 
of lofty mountains, with high valleys and tablelands be- 
tween. This system is from 30 to 400 miles wide. 

271. What does British America comprise 2 

About one-third of the continent of North America, to- 
gether with many adjacent islands. Its chief divisions are 
the Dominion of Canada, the Province of Newfoundland, 
the Bermuda Islands, the Bahamas, Jamaica and several 
colonies in the West Indies. 

272. What are the divisions 0/ the Dominion of Canada? 
Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, British 

Columbia, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories. 

273. What are the noteworthy characteristics of the Do- 
m.inion as to climate, surface, trade, etc.? , 

The climate is severe, except in the southern parts of 
British Columbia and Ontario. The surface as a whole is 
considered level. British Columbia and the provinces east 
of Manitoba are great forest regions. Between the Rocky 
Mountains and Manitoba are extensive prairies. Trade 
is principally with Great Britain and the United States, 
The exports are fish, coal, grain and lumber. 



GEOGRAPHY. 173 

274. How does the Dominion compare in size with the 
United States? 

Its population is 5,000,000, or only about one-nineteenth 
that of the United States; while its area is 3,500.000 sq. mi., 
or about the same as that of the United States. 

275. What island forms a part of the province of Nova 
Scotia 1 

Cape Breton. 

276. Describe Newfoundland. 

The surface is generally rocky and barren. The coast is 
indented by deep inlets, which form many excellent harbors. 
It is noted for its fisheries. 

277. Describe Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New 
Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. 

Nova Scotia has many good harbors and valuable fish- 
eries; it is favorably located for commerce, and exports 
fish, sheep, coal and gypsum. Prince Edward Island has 
a fertile soil, and agriculture is the leading occupation of 
its inhabitants. New Brunswick is noted for its timber 
forests, and exports great quantities of lumber and fish. 
Quebec has a severe climate, and is noted for its pictur- 
esque scenery; Montreal, the largest city of this province, 
has an extensive commerce, and ships large quantities of 
grain. Ontario has a mild climate, compared with Quebec, 
and produces a great amount of grain and lumber. 

278. Describe Manitoba a7id British Columbia. 

Manitoba is in the basin of the great wheat-growing region 
of the North, and is rapidly increasing in population ; the 
Red River of the North, flowing from the United States, 
and the Winnipeg Lake with the Saskatchawan River 
afford 2,000 miles of inland navigation. British Columbia 
abounds in salmon, timber, coal, gold and other metals. 



174 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

279. Describe the Northwest Territories. 

They are divided into Provisional Districts: Athabasca; 
Alberta, Saskatchawan and Assiniboia. They promise to 
become eventually the greatest wheat-producing country 
in the world. 

280. What is the government of the provinces of the Do- 
minion "i 

The chief executive officer is the Governor-General, who 
is appointed by the crown of Great Britain. The Legisla- 
ture consists of two branches: the members of the lower 
branch being elected by the people, but the members of 
the other branch appointed by the Governor-General. 
Each province has a similar government under a Lieu- 
tenant-Governor. 

281. For what is the great Saskatchawan Valley noted, 
and how large is it? 

For the production of wheat; it contains more than 
300,000 square miles. 

282. What is the Bras d'Or? 

It is an arm of the sea which almost divides the Island 
of Cape Breton. 

283. What French possessions are near these provinces! 

The small islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon. They lie 
south of Newfoundland, and serve as fishing-stations. 

284. What a7-e the banks of Newfoundland"? 

Shallow places in the sea, the largest being the Grand 
Bank, which lies to the eastward of the island. This bank 
is more than 600 miles long and 250 miles broad. 

285. Where is Afiticosta Island ] 

At the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. It is a barren 
island, occupied only by keepers of light-houses on the 
coast. 



GEOGRAPHY. 175 

286. Which of the United States is about the size of New 
Brunswick and Prince Edward Island respectively 1 

South Carolina about equals New Brunswick, and Dela- 
ware Prince Edward Island. 

287. How is Montreal situated"} 

On Montreal Island, 32 miles in length, and at the junc- 
tion of the Ottawa with the St, Lawrence. The Isle of 
Jesus lies north of it. 

288. Forwhatis the basin of the St. Lawrence remarkable? 
For the grandeur and beauty of its natural scenery. 

Niagara Falls, the Thousand Isles, the Rapids of the St. 
Lawrence, the falls near Quebec, and the grand scenery of 
the Saguenay River are the admiration of thousands of 
tourists. 

289. For what is the Bay of Fundy noted 1 

For the highest tides in the world, which rise to the 
height of seventy feet. 

290. What are tides 1 Neap tides 1 Springtides? 

Tides are elevations and depressions of the ocean at re- 
gular intervals, occurring twice in twenty-four hours. The 
neap tides are those with the least ebb and flow, and 
occur at the close of the first quarter and first of the last 
quarter of the moon. Spring tides have the greatest ebb 
and flow, and occur at the time of the new and the full moon. 

291. What are the chief causes of tides? 

The attraction of the moon and sun. Probably not one 
teacher in a thousand can explain this attraction to the 
satisfaction of his pupils. The fact that the water rises on 
opposite sides of the earth at the same time is the difficult 
part of the question. 

292. What are the three distinct movements of the ocean? 
Waves, tides and currents. 



176 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

293. What are zvaves'i 

The action of the winds on the surface of a body of 
water. On the ocean, the height of waves produced by 
storms averages from 10 to 20 feet. 

. 294. What are ocean currents, and how are they caused'^ 

They are like vast rivers, transporting its waters from 
one part to another, and are caused by the heat of the sun, 
rotation of the earth, saltness of the sea, winds, tides, and 
melting ice. 

295. How are ocean currents divided 1 
Into constant, periodical, and temporary. 

296. What is a counter current 1 

A stream which runs by the side of, or beneath another 
current, and in an opposite direction. 

297. Why are the tides of Fundy Bay so much greater 
than elsewhere? 

The position of the bay is such that the Atlantic tide is 
forced into it, and the waters are raised by this pressure 
above the adjoining sea. 

298. What are the chief productions of the Canadian 

provinces? 

Grain, hemp, flax, potatoes, lumber, fish, coal, grind- 
stones and gypsum. 

299. Name and locate the capital cities of these provinces. 

Halifax, N.S. ; Frederickton, N.B. ; .Winnipeg, Man.-, 
Regina, N.W.T.; Ottawa, Ont; Victoria, B.C.; Quebec, 
Que. 

300. To what province does Labrador belong? 
Newfoundland. 



GEOGRAPHY. 



177 



301. What are the obstructions to navigation from the Gulf 
of St. Lawrence to Lake Superior 1 

The rapids of the St. Lawrence, Niagara Falls, and falls 
in the River St. Mary. 

302. How are these obstructions avoided? 

In ascending the river the rapids are avoided by canals 
on the left bank, but the downward passage, though peril- 
ous, is made by the river itself. The Welland Canal con- 
nects Lakes Ontario and Erie, thereby avoiding the Falls 
of Niagara. The falls of the St. Mary River are passed by 
a ship canal. 

303. How is Nova Scotia joined to New Brunswick ? 
By an isthmus fourteen miles wide. 

304. What islands are in the Niagara River! 
Grand, Navy, and Goat. 

305. What difficulties of a political nature have of recent 
years arisen between Canada and the United States! 

The Canadians claim that American fishermen have in- 
vaded British waters. 

306. What are the commercial routes of the Dominion ? 
The chief water route is the St. Lawrence River and the 

Great Lakes. The Grand Trunk and Canadian Pacific are 
the leading railroads. 

307. How is Oceanica divided] 

Into three divisions: Malasia, Australasia, and Poly- 
nesia. 

308. What does Malasia comprise? 

The East India Archipelago, which lies to the southeast 
of Asia. The principal divisions are the Sunda Isles, Spice 
Islands, Philippines, and Celebes. 

309. Which are the principal Sunda Isles? 
Borneo, Sumatra, and Java. 



178 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

310. What are the pioductio?is of these islands ? 

No part of the world is richer in its vegetable products. 
The minerals are also valuable. Nearly all the spices that 
we use, such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmegs and pepper, are 
raised on these islands. Bread-fruit, sago, cocoanuts, ba- 
nanas, yams, and various tropical fruits are grown exten- 
sively. Coffee is exported from Java; gold and diamonds 
from Borneo; tin from Banca; sugar, hemp and tobacco 
from the Philippine Islands. 

311. What is said of the animals of Malasial 

They are among the largest and fiercest on earth. The 
tiger, rhinoceros, elephant and ourang-outang are found 
in Sumatra. 

312. What are the inhabitants! 
Principally Malays. 

313. What nations have possessions here7 

Java, the Spice Islands, Sumatra, Celebes, a part of Bor- 
neo, and most of Timor belong to the Dutch. The Philip- 
pine Islands belonged to Spain until the war of 1898 be- 
tween that country and the United States. A part of both 
Borneo and Papua belongs to England ; and part of Timor 
belongs to the Portuguese. 

314. Which are the most important cities of this archi- 
pelago ? 

Batavia and Manila. 

315. How large is Borneo? Sumatra? Java? Celebes? 
The Philippine Isles? 

Borneo contains about 260,000 square miles, Sumatra 
125,000, Java 52,000, Celebes 46,000, and the Philippines 
66,000. 

316. Which State is about the size of Celebes? 
Pennsylvania. 



GEOGRAPHY. 1 79 

317. In which zone are these islands situated? 

The torrid. The equator crosses Sumatra, Borneo, 
Celebes, and some of the Spice Islands. 

318. What is the surface of these islands i 

Most of them are mountainous, and many contain active 
volcanoes; Java alone contains forty-three. 

319. Are these islands thickly inhabited i 

With the exception of Java, they are not. Java, which 
is about the size of Arkansas, contains 18,000,000 people. 

320. What does Australasia comprise? 

This is the largest division of Oceanica, and comprises 
Australia, Papua or New Guinea, Tasmania, New Zealand, 
New Caledonia, and many other islands. 

321. What race of people are called Papuans? Where are 
they found, and what is noticeable of them? 

They are a cannibal negro race and inhabit a long group 
of islands extending from New Guinea to New Caledonia. 

322. To what country do Australia, New Zealand, and 
Tasmania belong? 

To Great Britain. 

323. What possession has France in these divisions? 
New Caledonia. j 

324. How is Australia divided? 

Into Western Australia, South Australia, Queen's Land 
New South Wales and Victoria. 

325. How large is Australia? 

About four-fifths as large as the United States. 

326. What is the surface of this island? 

Near the coast are mountain ranges. The central re- 
gions have never been explored, but are supposed to con 



l8o COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

sist of a low, barren plain. The Murray is the only river 
of much importance. 

327. What are the inhabitants ? 

The greater part of them are Europeans and their de- 
scendants. The natives are of the Papuan race. 

328. What are the chief pursuits of the people'^ 

Mining and raising wool. They also produce large 
amounts of wheat, indigo, cotton, sugar, coffee, tin and 
copper. 

329. What is the governfnent of Australia? 

The colonies are politically independent of one another, 
and are governed by representatives chosen by universal 
suffrage, and by executive officers appointed by the British 
crown. 

330. What do you say of the climate and vegetation ? 

The northern part is tropical, while the southern part is 
subjected to sudden successions of floods and droughts. 

331. Jifow is Australia connected by telegraph with Europe? 

One line, from the principal cities, crosses the middle of 
the continent to the northwest coast, and is continued by 
ocean cable to British India, and thence through Asia and 
Europe. Other lines and cables connect directly with 
London. 

332. What may be said of the native animals of Australia? 

The largest is the kangaroo. The most singular one is 
the platypus, which has the body of an otter and the bill of 
a duck, and lays eggs. 

333. Which are the principal cities? 

Melbourne, Victoria; Sydney, New South Wales; Ade 
^aidf South Australia; and Perth, West Australia. 



GEOGRAPHY. l8i 

334. Is this country thickly settled? 

It is not. The estimated number of inhabitants is 
2,000,000. 

335. Describe Tasmania. 

It is about one-half as large as England, and is a fine 
agricultural island, inhabited solely by European colonists. 

336. Where is New Zealandl 

Southeast of Asia. The surface is mountainous, and the 
inhabitants belong to the Malay race. 

337. What is said of Papua and the other islands 7 
They are but little known. There are no considerable 

white settlements in any of them except New Caledonia. 

338. What does Polynesia includel 

A multitude of islands scattered through the Pacific 
Ocean. 

339. Name the principal groups. 

The Sandwich, Society, Friendly, Marquesas, Caroline 
and Ladrone Islands. 

340. What is the surface of the islands of Polynesia? 

There are either mountainous, principally of volcanic for- 
mation, or low islands, which are the work of the coral ani- 
mal. 

341. What are the native inhabitants? 
Mostly of the Malay race. 

342. What may be said of the animals? 

When first discovered, these islands contained neither 
insects nor reptiles, and no animal larger than a hog. 

343. Which is the only important town in Polynesia ? 
Honolulu, on Oahu, one of the Sandwich, (or Hawaiian) 

Islands. 



l82 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

344. Name the Middle States, and tell how they compare 
in size to the New England States. 

New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware; 
they are about twice as large as New England. 

345. Which is the large?; New York or Pennsylvania? 

New York contains 47,000 square miles, and Pennsylvania 
46,000. 

346. What is the surface of these States 1 

New York is somewhat undulating; it contains the 
Catskill and the Adirondack Mountains. Pennsylvania 
is rather mountainous; the Alleghany system attains its 
greatest breadth here. The greater part of New Jersey, 
Delaware and Maryland is low and generally sandy. 

347. What can be said of New York? 

In wealth, population, and commercial importance, it 
holds the first rank in the Union. 

348. Eor what are Rochester, Syracuse, West Pointy and 
Saratoga noted? 

Rochester has the most extensive flour-mills in the East, 
and Syracuse the greatest salt-works in the country. West 
Point is the seat of the United States Military Academy, 
and Saratoga is well known as a fashionable watering- 
place. 

349. For what is Pennsylvania noted? 

It is one of the richest States in the Union. Much of 
its wealth lies in mining and manufacturing, but it is also 
rich in grain and live stock. 

350. What may be said of its minerals? 

The mines of iron and coal far surpass those of any other 
State. Petroleum in large quantities is found in the norths 
western part. 



GEOGRAPHY. 



183 



351. For what are Pittsburg and Philadelphia noted? 
Pittsburg is the greatest iron manufacturing city, and 

Philadelphia is the second greatest manufacturing city in 
the Union. 

352. Where is Fairmount Park, and what great event 
occurred there in recent years! 

It is in Philadelphia, and the great world's fair of 1876, 
called the Centennial Exposition, was held there. 

353. What is the population of the city of New York? 
According to the census of 1910, 4,766,833. 

It is estimated at about 3,500,000. 

354. Describe the Brooklyn Bi'idge. 

See answer No. 651 on United States History. 

355. What gift of the French people is in New York 
harbor! 

The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World. 

356. What are the pursuits of the people of New fersey? 
Chiefly agricultural. They supply the vegetable markets 

of New York and Philadelphia. 

357. What noted resorts for sea-bathing are in this State? 
Long Branch, Asbury Park, Cape May and Atlantic City. 

358. How large is Delaware? 

With the exception of Rhode Isiand, it is the smallest 
State in the Union; contains only 2,120 square miles. 

359. Describe the District of Columbia?' 

It is situated on the Potomac River, and has an area of 
sixty square miles. It contains Washington and George- 
town. It is under the government of Congress. 

360. How great a fall has the cataract of Niagara! 
One hundred and sixty-five feet. 



lS4 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK 

361. How are the West Indies divided? 

Into the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, and the 
Bahamas. 

362. What islands belong to the Greater Antilles 1 
Cuba, Hayti, Jamaica, and Porto Rico. 

363. What do the Lesser Antilles include 1 

The chain of islands extending from Porto Rico to South 
America. 

364. What and where are the Bahama Islands! 

They are low islands of coral formation, and lie north 
of the Greater Antilles. 

365. To what country do these islands belongl 

Cuba and Porto Rico lately belonged to Spain, but 
Cuba is now free, and Porto Rico has come into possession 
of the United States, owing to the Spanish-American war 
of 1898; Jamaica, the Bahamas, and most of the Lesser 
Antilles belong to Great Britain; Hayti is independent; 
and the remaining islands are owned by France, Denmark, 
Holland and Venezuela. 

366. What are the inhabitajits of these islands? 
Principally whites, and free negroes, with some Chinese. 

About one-sixth are whites. 

367. What is the surface of the Antilles? 
Mountainous. The mountains are supposed to be the 

remains of a chain which at some remote period connected 
North and South America. 

368. What are the productions ? 

Tropical fruits, sugar, coffee, tobacco, rum. mahogany 
and spices. 

369. What is rum ? 

Spirits distilled from moiasses. 



GEOGRAPHY. 185 

370. How is the island of Hayti divided? 
Between two republics, Santo Domingo and Hayti. 

371. Whai is the history of this island? 

It once belonged to France and Spain. In 1791 the 
slaves in the western, or French division, rose against their 
masters, and after a bloody war succeeded in establishing 
an empire, which presently became a republic. In 1849, 
the President (Soulouque) proclaimed himself emperor, 
with the title of Faustin I. After a reign of ten years he 
was deposed, and a republican form of government was 
again adopted. In 182 1 the eastern division revolted from 
Spain and became a republic. 

372. Where are the Bermuda Islands, and to whom do 
they belong? 

They are east of the United States and belong to Great 
Britain. There are about 400 of these islands, but most 
of them are so small and barren that they have neither 
name nor inhabitants. 

373. How large are Cuba and Hayti? 

Cuba is about the size of Pennsylvania, and Hayti is 
about half as large as Michigan, containing 28,000 square 
miles. 

374. What are keys? 

Small rocky islands of coral formation. 

375. What is a reef? 

A chain of rocks lying near the surface of the water. 

376. Describe the southern coast of Florida. 

It is fringed with reefs, and, as many of the rocks are 
just below the surface of the water, they are dangerous to 
navigation. 

377. Where is Key West, and what are its exports? 

It is the most southerly town in the United States proper; 



l86 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

on an island of coral formation southwest of the mainland 
of Florida, Its exports are salt and sponge. 

378. How is salt made i?t Key IVest? 
By solar evaporation. 

379. What is sponge? 

A soft porous growth, which is found attached to rocks 
below the surface of the water. 

380. What is the geiieral surface of Florida t 

Level. In the south, dense marshy thickets called 
everglades cover the surface and are of 160 by about 60 
miles in area. 

381. What are the products of this State 1 

Cotton, corn, sugar-cane, rice, and tobacco. Tropical 
fruits, such as oranges, lemons, figs, pomegranates, pine- 
apples, olives, etc., are abundant. 

382. What is Lake Okeechobee, and where is it? 

It is a great swamp connected with the everglades, near 
the southern part of Florida. 

383. What scheme is proposed by civil engineers in regard to 
this swamp? 

They propose that capitalists shall drain these lands by 
a system of canals. As the lands when drained will be 
unsurpassed in fertility, it is reasonable to suppose that 
eventually this will be done. 

384. Why has Florida so few good harbors? 

On account of the many reefs or keys which skirt the 
shores, and the lowness of the land as it approaches the 
sea. 

385. Which State is split by the Mississippi River? 
Louisiana. About one-fifth of the State is on the east 

side of the river. 



GEOGRAPHY. 1 87 

386. On which side of the rive?- is New Orleans? De^ 
scribe it. 

On the east side, about 100 miles from the mouth. It is 
the greatest cotton mart in the world, and is built around 
a bend in the river, whence it is called the Crescent City. 
The foundation is artificial, as it was built on a swamp. 
It lies below the level of the river, but is protected by the 
levee, which at this place is a continuous quay, four miles 
long and 100 feet wide. 

387. What is the soil 0/ Louisiana? 

It is varied. The richest tract is a belt of land from one 
to two miles wide, on both sides of the river, extending 
from 150 miles above to 100 miles below New Orleans. 
This tract is annually inundated by the spring floods. 
Only a small part of the State is under cultivation. 

388. How many Territories are there in the United States? 

Three organized, to wit: Alaska, Arizona and New 
Mexico; while Hawaii and Porto Rico are annexed terri- 
tories. 

389. What does Danish America include? 
Greenland and Iceland. 

390. Has Greenland been fully explored? 

It has not. The interior and northern parts are unknown, 
and it is supposed by some that the island is only a pro- 
jection of an Arctic continent not yet discovered. 

391. Why was Greenland so named? 

It was named by an Icelandic chief, who, for some crime, 
was obliged to flee from his native land. To induce his 
countrymen to follow him, he falsely represented his new 
home to be superior in fertility to Iceland. 



1 88 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

392. Describe Icela?id. 

It Js of volcanic formation. Ranges of high, rugged 
mountains border the coast, while the interior is a dreary 
of desert volcanoes, ice-clad mountains, or fields of lava. 

393. What natural curiosities are here'i 

The geysers, or boiling springs. About fifty of these 
hot springs occupy an area not exceeding twelve acres. 
Some throw up water, and even large stones, to a great 
height. 

394. What is supposed to be the cause of this phenomenon^ 
Nearness to Mount Hecla, which is only thirty-five miles 

distant, or a volcanic commotion beneath the springs them- 
selves. 

395. What gave its name to Iceland"} 

It was named by a Norwegian pirate who, on his first 
visit, saw a bay filled with ice, which had floated thither 
from Greenland. 

396. Which are the principal towns of Danish America! 
Lichtenfels and Reikiavik. 

397. How much larger is Asia than Africa! 
About 4,000,000 square miles. 

398. What is the greatest length and breadth of Africa 1 
From north to south it measures about 5,000 miles; its 

greatest breadth is about 4,800 miles. 

399. Give a short description of Africa. 

Large parts of it have not been fully explored. The 
shores are not indented by deep gulfs or inlets, which is 
one of the principal reasons why the interior is so little 
known. The surface is varied. There are mountain sys- 
tems, sandy deserts and elevated plateaus. The greater 
part is in the torrid zone, and, much of the country being 



GEOGRAPHY. 189 

desert land, it is, as a whole, the hottest and driest grand 
division of the globe. 

400. What are the inhabitants 'i 

Except the northern part and some settlements on the 
coast, the inhabitants are negro tribes, whose religion is 
paganism and their condition barbarous. 

401. What are the chief countries of Barbaryi 
Morocco, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli. 

402. To what nations do they belongi 

Morocco is an independent empire. Algiers is a colony 
of France. Tunis and Tripoli are dependencies of Turkey. 

403. How large is the Desert of Sahara 1 
From 750 to 1,200 miles wide, and 3,000 long. 

404. Describe the Soudan^ its exports^ and how its com- 
merce is carried on. 

It occupies a large part of Central Africa, extending 
across the continent south of the Great Desert. The soil 
is fertile, and the climate tropical and similar to the Ama- 
zon Valley. It contains a number of semi-barbarous states 
of large population. The religion is chiefly Mohammedan, 
although a great many tribes of negroes are pagans and 
combine with their religion a belief in evil spirits, witch- 
craft and magic charms, known as fetichism. The exports 
are gold, ivory, ostrich feathers and gum arable. Com- 
merce is carried on by caravans. 

405. How is Southern Africa divided? 

Cape Colony, Natal, Zululand, the Transvaal, Orange 
Free State, Bechuna, Namaqua, Damara and Rhodesia. 

406. How are these countries governed? 

Cape Colony, Zululand, Rhodesia and Natal are British 
colonies. The others are indeoendent. 



190 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

407. Where and what is Liberia? 

It is on the western coast of Africa, and is a negro re- 
public, with a government modeled after that of the United 
States. The republic was founded in 182 1 by the Ameri- 
can Colonization Society, as a place of refuge for free 
blacks and liberated slaves from the United States. 

408. Where is the colony of Sierra Leone? 

Above Liberia. It was founded for the same purpose in 
1787, by the British government. 

409. What are the principal exports of Africa? 

They differ in different parts. The southern part ex- 
ports corn, wine, wool, hides, horns, ivory, gold and dia- 
monds; the western, ebony, palm oil, gold dust, and 
ostrich feathers; the northern, fruits, wool, hides, gums, 
indigo, salt, leather, cotton, rice, opium, coffee, and many 
other articles. 

410. Describe Madagascar. 

It is the largest of the African islands, containing 240,- 
000 square miles. It is mountainous and but little known. 
Part of the inhabitants belong to the African and part t© 
the Malay race. 

411. What city is the largest in Africa ? The second in 
size ? 

Cairo is the largest and Alexandria the second. 

412. Where are Port Said and Suez ? 
At the two ends of the Suez Canal. 

413. How long is the Suez Canal, and to what nation 
does it belong? 

It is 65 miles long and belongs virtually to England and 
France. 



GEOGRAPHY. 



191 



414. Locate the capital cities of the Territories of the United 
States. 

Santa Fe, New Mexico; Phoenix, Arizona; Tahlequah, 
Indian Territory ,• Guthrie, Oklahoma; and Sitka, Alaska. 

415. For what are Idaho and Montana notedl 

For their rich gold and silver mines, and their natural 
advantages for grazing and stock-raising. 

416. Where is Yellowstone Parkl 

In the northwest corner of Wyoming. It contains 3,600 
square miles. It contains many deep canyons, lofty falls, 
bathing pools, geysers, lakes, and other natural beauties 
and wonders. It has been set aside by Congress as a 
"perpetual reservation for the benefit and instruction of 
mankind." 

417. Describe North atid South Dakota. 

They are less mountainous than Idaho or Montana. 
Much of their surface consists of rolling prairie land, well 
watered, and especially adapted for farming and cattle- 
raising. 

418. Describe the Union Pacific Railroad. 

It is a great transcontinental route, lying west of the 
Missouri River. It passes through the southern part of Ne- 
braska, up the valley of the Platte River, touching the 
northern boundary line of Colorado and the southern part 
of Wyoming, through Northern Utah and Nevada, and 
thus to California. 

419. Name the principal towns on this railroad. 
Omaha, Fremont, Columbus, Kearney, Julesburg, Chey- 
enne, Laramie and Ogden. 

420. How is Salt Lake City situated 'i 

It is on the Jordan River, near Great Salt Lake, south 
of the Union Pacific Railroad, and on a branch line. 



192 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOO/C 

421. Describe Utah. 

It contains the Great Salt Lake and the eastern part of 
the great arid basin, which is the most desolate region in 
the United States. Rain seldom falls in this basin, but 
some tracts near the rivers and lakes have been made fer- 
tile by irrigation. Gold, silver, iron, salt, coal and other 
minerals are plentiful there. 

422. Wh a t peop le settled Utah ? 
The Mormons, or Latter-day Saints. 

423. I*'or what are the Southwestern States and Texas 
especially adapted? 

For grazing and grain-growing. 

424. How are parts of Western Texas occupied? 
By herds of wild horses. 

425. What are the productions 0/ Texas? 

Cotton, corn, sugar, tobacco, rice, and some semi-trop- 
ical fruits. 

426. What is the climate? 

A great part of the State is much elevated, and there- 
fore free from extremes of heat and cold. Snow is seldom 
seen, but from October to March violent winds called 
"northers" sweep over the prairies of Texas, and plains of 
Mexico. 

427. Which of the States border on Canada? 

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Michigan, 
Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington. 

428. Which of the States are separated by the Mississippi 
River? 

Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Missis- 
sippi on the east shore are separated from Minnesota, 
Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and most of Louisiana on the 
west. 



GEOGRAPHY. 



193 



429. Which are separated by the Ohio River? 

Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, from Kentucky and West 
Virginia. 

430. What is the general outline of Europe, ajid ivhat ad- 
vantages does it offer 1 

It is more irregular than that of any other division of 
the earth. Large seas and gulfs penetrate far into the 
interior, affording unequalled advantages for commercial 
intercourse. 

431. What is the surface 1 

It is divided into extensive plains and mountain systems. 
Southern Europe is crossed from west to east by a great 
mountain system, which is continued through Asia to the 
Pacific Ocean. Northward from this system extends a 
great plain, which stretches from the Atlantic to the Pa- 
cific. 

432. What are the principal European parts of this great 
mountain system ? 

Caucasus, Balkan, Alps, Cevennes, Pyrenees, and Canta- 
brian. 

433. What part of Europe is included in the Great Plaint 
Russia, Northern Germany, Denmark, Holland, Belgium^, 

and a part of France. 

434. What is the climate 1 

It varies in the same latitude. In Eastern Europe the 
winters are excessively cold, while the summers are very 
hot. On the shores of the Atlantic the warm ocean cur- 
rent renders the climate mild and moist. 

435. Name the political divisions. 

Russia, Austria, Germany and Turkey are empires; 
Great Britain, Norway and Sweden, Denmark, Holland, 
Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece are kingdoms,- 



194 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

France and Switzerland, with Andorra and San Marino, are 
republics. 

436. Which divisions are called the '■'■ Five Great Powers" i 
Great Britain, Russia, Germany, France and Austria. 

437. Name the peninsulas of Europe. 

The Scandinavian, Jutland, Iberian, Italian, Morea and 
Crimea. 

438. Describe the Scandinavian peninsula. 

It comprises Sweden and Norway, two distinct States 
with separate governments. Nearly the whole of Norway 
and the eastern part of Sweden are mountainous. The south- 
eastern part of Sweden is a level plain. 

439. What are the exports of this peninsulat 
Iron, copper, lumber and fish. 

440. How much farther ?torth can grain be raised in Nor- 
way than on the Atlantic shore of America! 

Rye, oats and barley can be raised 1,400 miles farther 
north. 

441. What point on the western hemisphere is in the same 
latitude as Christiania? 

The southern point of Greenland. 

442. Where is Lapland? 

In Europe north of the Arctic Circle, and between the 
White Sea and Atlantic Ocean. It belongs to Russia, 
Sweden and Norway. 

443. Is this country inhabited? 

It is, by a Mongolian tribe called Laplanders. They 
own herds of reindeer, which supply them with food, cloth- 
ing and means of traveling. 



GEOGRAPHY. 195 

444. What is the size of the Russian Empirel 

It is next to the largest in the world, comprising fully 
one-half of Europe and more than one-third of Asia. The 
entire area is about 8,000,000 square miles. 

445. What is the surface of this empire 1 

For the most part it is very level. The only moun- 
tainous section in European Russia is between the Azov 
and Caspian Seas. 

446. How are the inhabitants divided! 

Into four classes: the nobles, the clergy, the merchants, 
and the lately emancipated serfs. 

447. What are the governme?it and religion? 

The government is an absolute monarchy. The greater 
part of the inhabitants belong to the Greek Church. 

448. What are the inhabitants called, and what ts the title 
of their monarch ? 

The inhabitants are called Sclavs, and their monarch 
the Czar. 

449. What subject is strongly agitating the minds of the 
Russian people 2 

The question of a constitution which will change the 
government to a limited monarchy. 

450. Who ai'e the Nihilists 1 

They are revolutionists who seek the overthrow of the 
empire and resort to secret violence to accomplish theii 
cause. 

451. What political relations, of a strained character^ exist 
between Russia and Englandl 

England is fearful of the Russian advances in Asia, and 
i Alously watches every movement. 



196 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

452. In what does the principal wealth of Russia consist? 

In its forests, covering two-fifths of the country, and the 
products of agriculture and grazing. 

453. Where are the great wheat-growing regions of Europe? 
In Central and Southern Russia. 

454. What is the nature of the country around the Caspian 
Sea? 

It is mostly sterile, and has the appearance of having 
been subjected to volcanic fires. There are many salt lakes 
and fire-hills. 

455. Describe the Caspian Sea. 

It is an inland sea, containing 140,000 square miles, and 
below the level of the Mediterranean. Several large rivers 
flow into it, but there is no visible outlet. 

456. What are steppes, and where are they found? 
Large, barren plains in Southeastern Russia. 

457. Where are Poland and Circassia ? 

Poland is that part of Russia lying north of Austria. 
Circassia is the region of the Caucasus Mountains. 

458. Where is Moscow, and when was it burned? 

It is near Central Russia, on a branch of the Oka River. 
It is a railroad centre, and one of the principal cities for 
trade. It was burned by the Russians during Napoleon's 
invasion of 181 2, to deprive his troops of their expected 
winter quarters. This great sacrifice of the Russians saved 
their empire, by compelling Napoleon to withdraw from 
the country. 

459. Por what is Sebastopol famous? 

For a siege which it sustained for one year, against the 
combined English, French, Turkish and Sardinian armies. 



GEOGRAPHY. I97 

460. What was the cause of this siege? 

Sebastopol was one of the strongest Russian fortifications, 
and a perpetual menace to Turkey; its destruction ended 
the Crimean war. 

461. Who inhabit the steppes of Russia? 

The Cossacks, who are of great service to the Russian 
army as light cavalry. 

46 2. What takes place at Niznei Novgoroct every year? 

A great fair is held there, which is attended by thousands 
of people who come from different parts of Europe and 
Asia to buy and sell goods. 

463. Which are the principal ports for foreig?i commerce? 
St. Petersburg, Cronstadt, Riga, Archangel, and Odessa. 

464. What seas and gulf s wash the shores of Russia? 
The Caspian, Azov, Black, Baltic, White and Kara Seas, 

and the Gulfs of Riga, Finland, Bothnia, Onega and Pet- 
chora. 

465. What do the British Isles comprise? 

Great Britain, Ireland, and many small adjacent islands. 

466. What does Great Britain include? 
England, Scotland and Wales. 

467. What is the stirface of the British Isles? 

England and Ireland are generally level or undulating; 
Scotland and Wales are rugged and mountainous. 

468. How is Scotland divided? 

Into the Highlands and Lowlands. The Highlands lie 
north, and the Lowlands south, of the Grampian Hills. 

469. What is the nature of the sea-coast? 

It is very irregular, and abounds in fine harbors and 
roadsteads. 



ipS COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOI^. 

470. What is the climate 1 

It is moist and mild. The winters, even of Scotland, 
are rarely severe. The moisture of the climate and the 
low temperature in summer sometimes prevent crops from 
maturing. Corn will not ripen. 

471. In what does the chief wealth of Great Britain con- 
sist 1 

In her commerce, manufactures and mining. 

472. How does she rank with other nations in the amount 
of her manufactures and com.m.ercel 

She surpasses every other country in the world. The 
principal manufactures are those of cotton, wool and 
iron. 

473. What of her merchant marine and navy? 

There are 25,000 British merchant vessels and more than 
200,000 seamen. The British navy is regarded as the 
strongest in the world, although the Russian is hardly 
inferior. Germany, France and Italy also have powerful 
navies. 

474. What effect do the great armies of Europe have upon 
popular sentiment there 1 

Besides immense standing armies, the European countries 
hold in reserve millions of citizens subject to call. The 
result of such enormous defense is a distressing taxation 
and popular discontent. No country can stand forever 
such a terrible drain on the resources of the people. 

475. What is the government of Great Britain? What is 
Parliament? 

The government is a constitutional monarchy. The 
Legislature, or Parliament, has two branches, the House 
of Lords and the House of Commons. The members of 
the House of Commons are elected by the people. 



GEOGRAPHY. 



199 



476. Who is the Prime Minister! 

The executive power and the entire responsibility of the 
government are in the hands of the Ministry, who are 
appointed by the sovereign and selected from the Com- 
mons. The Prime Minister is practically the real ruler of 
the empire; if opposed by a majority of the House of 
Commons, he resigns, and the sovereign appoints his suc- 
cessor. 

477. Where is tin obtained! 

Principally from Cornwall, England, and the Island of 
Banca. The mines of Cornwall have been famous from 
remote antiquity. 

478. What is the chief article of fuel in Ireland? 

Peat, or bog turf, of which there are more than 3,000,000 
acres. 

479. What is the extent of the British Empire? 

It has colonies in every quarter of the globe, and unites 
under one sovereign a greater number of people than are 
ruled by any other government. 

480. Which are the principal possessions of Great Britain 
in Continental Europe? 

Gibraltar in Spain, and the Islands of Malta and Gozo. 

481/' Which in Asia? 

British India, including Ceylon, Hindoostan, a part of 
Farther India, and Singapore; the Island of Hong Kong, 
and the City of Aden. 

482. In Africa? 

Sierra Leone and other settlements on the western 
coast; Cape Colony, Zululand, Rhodesia, and Natal; the 
Islands of Sychelle, Mauritius, Ascension, and St. Helena. 



200 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

483. In Oceanical 

Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, Norfolk, Labuan, and 
a part of Borneo. 

484. In America? 

British America, Bermuda Islands, Balize, Jamaica, 
Bahama Islands, and many of the Lesser Antilles, British 
Guiana, and the Falkland Islands. 

485. For what are Liverpool., Leeds and Bradford^ Bir- 
mingham, Limerick, and Merthyr Tydvil noted? 

Liverpool, for its great commerce. Leeds and Bradford, 
for their manufactures of wool. Birmingham, for hard- 
ware. Limerick, for the manufacture of gloves, laces and 
fish-hooks. Merthyr Tydvil, for its iron-works. 

486. How large an area is covered by the City of London? 
About 122 square miles. 

487. What questions agitate the people of Ireland? 

The questions of home rule and peasant proprietorship 
of the land. 

488. Describe the Spanish Peni7isula. 

It is the principal plateau of Europe, the whole central 
part consisting of a series of lofty plains, divided from 
each other by parallel mountain chains. This plateau 
comprises 93,000 square miles, or nearly one-half of the 
peninsula. 

489. What are the productions of Spain? 

The vine, olive, mulberry, and orange. Large flocks of 
sheep are raised on the tablelands of the interior. 

490. What parallel crosses the central part of Spain, and 
through which cf the United States does the same parallel 
pass? 

The 40th parallel. It passes through New Jersey, 



GEOGRAPHY. 201 

Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, 
Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California, 

491. What other countries in Europe does the same parallel 
cross 1 

Portugal, Italy and Turkey. 

492. Were we to follow this parallel^ what countries in 
Asia should we pass throughl 

Turkey, Turkestan, China and Japan. 

493. Where is the Republic of Andorra? 

In the Pyrenees between France and Spain. 

494. What is noticeable of this republic? 

The population is only 5,000 or 6,000, but the country 
has been independent for more than a thousand years. 

495. What are the foreign possessions of Spain and Portu- 
gall 

The Ladrone and Canary Islands belong to Spain. 
The possessions of Portugal are the Azores, the Cape 
Verde and the Madeira Islands, and Lower Guinea, 
in Africa. 

496. How wide is the Strait of Gibraltar! 
Twelve miles in its narrowest place. 

497. What may be said of the fortress of Gibraltar! 

It is situated on a mountainous promontory, and is the 
strongest fortification in the world 

498. How large is France? 

It contains 204,000 square miles. 

499. How does France rank with other countries! 

As one of the richest and most powerful. The position 
of the country and the fertility of the soil give it greaf 
commercial and agricultural advantages. 



202 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

500. What is the surface'} 

The eastern part is mountainous, while the rest belongs 
to the great plain, which extends across the continent. 

501. What and where are the landesl 

They are plains of shifting sands in the southwestern 
part of France. 

502. What are the principal exports^ 

France exports more wine, brandy, and silk goods than 
any other country. 

503. What influence has Paris throughout the civilized 
world? 

The influence of fashion. 

504. Name the principal possessions of France. 

Algeria, Senegal, Pondicherry, Isle of Bourbon, New 
Caledonia, Marquesas Islands, French Guiana, St. Pierre 
and Miquelon, Martinique, Guadaloupe, and Corsica. 

505. What are the pursuits of the people of Holland and 
Belgium ? What is Holland properly called? 

In Holland, stock-raising and dairying are the chief 
pursuits. Belgium is an agricultural and manufacturing 
country; it also has extensive mines of coal and iron. 
Holland is properly called the Netherlands. 

506. What is the condition of much of the coast of this 
country? 

It is so low that in many places dykes, or embankments, 
are necessary to prevent inundations. 

507. How is internal communication promoted? 

By canals. In Holland especially, canals run through 
the principal streets of the towns, and form a complete 
network over the country. 



GEOGRAPHY. Z03 

508. What is the Zuyder Zeel 

An arm of the sea, or gulf, which indents the northern 
part of Holland. 

509. What people are Dutchl 
The people of Holland. 

510. What are the colonial possessions of the Netherlands 1 
Next to those of Great Britain they are the most 

extensive and valuable in the world. They include the 
most important parts of the East Indian Archipelago, 
Dutch Guiana, and several islands in the West Indies. 

511. What are the occupations of the people^ their com- 
merce, manufactures, etc.? 

Agriculture is the principal occupation in the Nether- 
lands, and manufacturing and mining in Belgium. Their 
foreign commerce is among the largest in the world, 
their exports including fine manufactured goods of silk, 
cotton, wool, linen, leather and iron. Lace-making is 
an important industry. 

512. What is the surface of Denmark? 

It is nearly flat; some parts are below the surface of the 
sea, from which they are defended by dykes. 

513. How is Copenhagen situated? 

On the eastern coast of the Island of Zealand, and 
partly on the adjacent Island of Amok. Many of the 
buildings are built on piles in the water. 

514. What are the colonial possessions of Denmark? 
Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, and several small 

islands in the West Indies. 

515. What does the German Empire comprise? 

The kingdoms of Prussia, Bavaria, Wurtemberg and 
Saxony, six grand-duchies, five duchies, seven principali- 



204 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

ties, three free cities, and the state of Elsass called by the 
French Alsace. 

516. Which are the free cities 1 
Hamburg, Bremen and Liibeck. 

517. Where is the state of Alsace 1 

On the Rhine, It was a part of France, till the Franco- 
Prussian war of 1870-71. 

518. What are the capitals of the four kingdoms? 
Prussia has Berlin for its capital; Saxony, Dresden; 

Bavaria, Munich; Wurtemberg, Stuttgart. 

519. Describe the government of Germany. 

It is a limited monarchy, with the King of Prussia as 
German Emperor. The imperial legislature consists of 
two bodies: the Federal Council, somewhat resembling the 
English House of Lords, and the Reichstag, whose mem- 
bers are elected like the members of the House of Com- 
mons. 

520. What can be said of its military power 1 

It is generally considered the strongest in the world, 
and the government is continually strengthening it. 

521. What of its school system and its manufactures 7 

Prussia has the most complete and comprehensive 
system of public schools of any nation, and the general 
education of the whole empire is remarkably good. The 
manufactures are varied and extensive, and the exports in- 
clude wheat, wine, zinc, and almost every description of 
manufactured goods. 

522. Which are the chief ports of Germany? 
Hamburg and Bremen. 

523. What are the agricultural productions! 

Nearly the whole of Germany is under cultivation, and 



GEOGRAPHY. 205 

large crops of wheat, rye, barley, oats, tobacco, beet-root 
and linseed are produced. 

524. What are heaths 1 

Sandy tracts in Northern Germany and Denmark. 

525. What are the inhabitants 0/ Austria? 

They are of different races, but mostly Germans, Hun 
garians, Italians and Poles. 

526. What is the proper title of Austria! 
The Austro-Hungarian Empire. 

527. How is this empire divided? 

It is divided into two distinct and nearly independent 
groups of provinces. Each group has a government of its 
own, but the whole is under one general government. The 
Kingdom of Hungary and its dependencies constitute 
nearly one-half of the empire. The Emperor of Austria 
is King of Hungary. 

528. What are the chief exports of Austria? 

Wheat, wine, salt, wool and manufactures of linen, 
cotton, iron and glass. 

529. What can be said of the Danube River? 

It forms an important system of waterways, extending 
^•ntirely across the empire. 

530. How is Vienna situated? 

On eighty-two small islands, separated by 150 canals 
crossed by elevated bridges. 

531. What was Poland formerly? 

An important kingdom of Central Europe. Aftei 
suffering many reverses, it was divided between Russia, 
Germany and Austria. 

532. Which is the most mountainous country of Europe? 
Switzerland. 



206 ' COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

533. Of how many states is Switzerland composed? 

It is composed of twenty-two states or cantons. It is 
about one-third as large as the State of New York. 

534. For what are the Swiss noted! 

They are noted for their love of liberty and their attach- 
ment to their native country. 

535. What language do they speakl 

Most of the population speak the German language. 
Italian and French are spoken in the cantons adjoining 
Italy and France. 

536. For what is Geneva notedi 

For the manufacture of watches and jewelry. 

537. Ho7v is Italy governed? 

It was formerly divided into a number of states, but 
the efforts of the people to obtain national unity were suc- 
cessful, and the whole country is now united under a 
liberal and enlightened government. 

538. In ancient times, for what was this country cele- 
bratedl 

It was the central part of the Roman Empire, which 
ruled all the known world. 

539. For what are the towns and cities noted? 

Almost every place is connected with some event re- 
nowned in history or art. 

540. Where is San Marino? 

It is a small republic on the Adriatic Sea. 

541. To what country do- the Islands of Sardinia and 
Sicily belong? 

Italy. 

542. What is the extent of the Ottoman Empire? 

It comprises Turkey in Europe, Asiatic Turkey, the Isle 



GEOGRAPHY. 



207 



of Candia, and Egypt. Tripoli, Barca, and Tunis are 
nominally under its coutrol; also a part of Arabia, Crete 
and other small islands. 

543. Describe the Turks. 

They are a grave-mannered people, ignorant, bigoted 
and indolent. . Their religion is Mohammedanism. 

544. How does Turkey compare with other £uropea?i coun- 
tries in regard to civilization, agriculture, and the arts and 
sciences ? 

It is inferior in every particular. The people are not 
energetic, and their civilization is far below the standard. 

545. What are Roumania, Servia and Montenegro 1 

They were formerly parts of the Turkish Empire, but 
are now separate Christian States. 

546. What are the exports of Turkey 1 

Tobacco, wine, olive-oil, cotton, fruits, wool, carpets, 
and morocco leather. 

547. What was Greece in ancient times 1 

Greece was in advance of all other nations in civilization 
and learning. Athens was the home of many renowned 
philosophers and orators. 

548. What is the shape of Greece 1 

'/ery irregular, projecting southward, and having many 
indentations from the sea, one of which, the Gulf of Le- 
panto, forms the peninsula of Morea, which is connected 
with the mainland by the Isthmus of Corinth. 

549. Name the capital cities of Europe. 

St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, The 
Hague, Brussels, Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, Vienna, 
Athens, Constantinople, Berne, London, Edinburgh. 



2o8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

550. With what country is England most extensively en^ 
gaged in trade ? 

The United States. 

551. Which is the most northern town in Europe^ yet why 
is this port ?iever frozen ? 

Hammerfest. Its immunity from freezing is due to the 
warm waters of the Gulf Stream, which flow by the coast 
of Norway, and the warm southwest return trade-winds. 

552. Name the four most important rivers of Europe, 
The Po, the Rhone, the Rhine and the Danube. 

553. What countries are termed Spanish America? 

Mexico, Central America, West Indies, and the greater 
part of South America. 

554. What is the surface of Mexico? 

The interior consists of tablelands from 4,000 to 9,000 
feet high. The Pacific coast is abrupt and abounds in fine 
harbors; but on the Gulf of Mexico it is flat and sandy, 
and deficient in good harbors. 

555. Are the tablelands accessible from the Gulf? 

Only by two carriage-roads: one by Jalapa, from Vera 
Cruz; the other by Saltillo, from Matamoras and Monterey. 

556. What is the climate? 

As Mexico contains high and low lands, it exhibits a 
great variety of climate. In ascending from the coast to 
the surface of the plateau, there are three regions : the hot, 
swampy and pestilential lowlands; the temperate regions; 
and the cold, desolate plains above. 

557- What are the inhabitants? 

Whites, Indians, and Spanish Creoles. The Indians 
and mixed-bloods form the greater part of the population 



GEOGRAPHY. 209 

558. How are the seasotis divided? 

Into the wet and the dry. The rainy season continues 
from May to October, and the dry from October to May. 

559. What are the agricultural products of Mexico? 

They vary with its climate. Wheat and barley are pro- 
duced in the cooler regions, and cotton, tobacco, sugar- 
cane, tropical fruits and spices in the plains and valleys 
below. 

560. What is its commerce? 

The commerce of Mexico is limited, and is mostly with 
England and the United States. 

561. What are the principal minerals? 
Gold and silver, iron and copper. 

562. How is the City of Mexico situated? 

On a plain 7,000 feet above the level of the sea and en- 
closed by lofty mountains. The city is about two miles 
from Lake Tezcuco, is in the form of a square, and is 
noted for its many churches, convents and plazas. 

563. What two volcajtoes are visible fro fn the city? 
Popocatapetl and Iztaccihuatl. The former is 17,717 

feet high, and its name means Smoking Mountain. The 
latter is 15,600 feet high, and its name means White Lady. 

564. What is cochineal? 

The cochineal is an insect which feeds on a species of 
cactus. When killed and dried on the sun it yields a bril- 
liant crimson dye. 

565. What is pulque?. 

Pulque is a favorite Mexican beverage, manufactured 
from the Maguey plant. It is intoxicating. 

566. What is briefly the history of Mexico? 

In 1 52 1 Fernando Cortez, a Spanish adventurer, con- 
quered the country. He found there an extensive kingdom, 



2IO COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

with regular laws, and with cities, temples, public roads 
and many of the arts of civilization. After the conquest 
the cruelty of the Spaniards drove the Indians back into a 
state of barbarism. In 182 1 Mexico became independent 
of Spain, and established first an empire and then a 
republic. The people are restless, and revolutions have 
been common. By the war with the United States, Mexico 
lost much valuable territory. 

567. What peninsulas belong to this republic! 
Yucatan and Lower California. They are little knov»?n. 

Yucatan is noted for its ruins of ancient cities and temples. 

568. What is the government of Mexico 1 

It is a federal republic of twenty-seven states, one 
territory, and a small federal district which contains the 
capital. It was for three centuries the most important 
colony of Spain. 

569. What does Central America comprise 1 

The five independent republics: Guatemala, Honduras, 
Salvador; Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and British Hon- 
duras. Central America bears a general resemblance to 
Mexico. 

570. What are the capital cities! 

San Salvador, Salvador; Managua, Nicaragua; Teguei- 
galpa, Honduras; Guatemala, Guatemala; San Jose, Costa 
Rica; and Belize, British Honduras. 

571. Where is British Honduras! 
South of the eastern part of Yucatan, 

572. What are the exports of British Honduras! 
Mahogany and other hard cabinet woods, cochineal, 

tortoise shells, sarsaparilla and cocoa-nuts. 

573- What three routes have been projected for a canal 
from the Atlantic to the Pacific! 

Across the Isthmus of Panama; by way of the San Juan 



GEOGRAPHY. 2il 

River and Lake Nicaragua; and by the Isthmus of Tehuan 
tepee. 

574. How does Mexico compare in size to the Unite A 
States ? 

It is about one-fourth as large. 

575. In what zones is Mexico ? 

The north temperate and the torrid; the Tropic of Cancer 
crosses the central part. 

576. Where are the greatest copper regions in the United 
States? 

In northern Michigan and Wisconsin. 

577. Where is lead found most abundantly i 

In southwestern Wisconsin and those parts of Illinois 
and Iowa which adjoin, in Nevada, and in Colorado. 

578. What are the great staple productions of the Southern 
Un ited States ? 

Cotton, tobacco, rice, sugar, corn and sweet potatoes. 

57g. Which State produces the most (a) cotton^ (b) rice^ 
(c) sugar, (d) tobacco, (e) potatoes, (f ) corn, (g) wheat? 

{a) Texas; (b) South Carolina; (c) Louisiana; (d) 
Kentucky; (e) New York; (/) Iowa; (g) California. 

580. Which State has the greatest number of (a) swine, 
(b) cattle, (c) horses, (d) mules, (e) sheep? 

{a) Iowa; (b) Texas; (c) Illinois; (d) Missouri; (e) 
Texas. 

581. Which State produces the greatest quantity of gold? 
Silver? Iron? Copper? lead? Coal? Pine lumber? Tur- 
pentine, resin and tar? 

Gold, California; silver, Colorado; iron, Pennsylvania; 
copper, Michigan; lead, Illinois; coal, Pennsylvania' 
lumber, Michigan; turpentine, etc.. North Carolina. 



212 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

582. IIo7v are turpentine^ resin afid tar manufactured^ 

Turpentine and resin are made of the sap of the pitch 
pine, by boiling; turpentine is the vapor, while resin is 
what remains. Tar is also made from the pitch, but by 
burning; the timber having been placed in nearly a per- 
pendicular position, and covered to prevent a flame, the 
heat causes the pitch to ooze out and run below, where it 
can be saved. 

583. From what does North Carolina derive her chief 
wealth ? 

From her pine forests. 

584. What is South Carolina often called? 
The "Palmetto State." 

585. What article can be raised extensively in almost all 
the States! 

Corn. 

586. Into what physical divisions may we separate the 
United States! 

Into the Atlantic Slope, the Pacific Slope, and the Cen- 
tral Plain. 

587. What does the Atlantic Slope embracel 

The country which extends from the Alleghany Moun- 
tains to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. 

588. What does the Pacific Slope embrace! 

The country between the Rocky Mountains and the 
Pacific Ocean. 

589. What is included in the Central Plain! 

The Mississippi Valley, the Texas Slope, the basin of 
the St. Lawrence, and the valley of the Red River of the 
North. 



GEOGRAPHY. 213 

590. How may we divide the United States with reference 
to drainage 1 

Into the St. Lawrence Basin, the Atlantic Slope, the 
Mississippi Valley, the Texas Slope, the Pacific Slope, the 
Inland Basin of Utah, and the Red River Basin. 

591. What is the surface of Asia 'i 

It is crossed by a system of mountains, tablelands and 
plains. 

592. What division may we make in this country? 
Arctic Asia, Desert Asia, Peninsular Asia and Insular 

Asia. 

593. What part is included in each? 

Arctic Asia takes in the Great Siberian Plain, Desert 
Asia is the belt of high anddry plateaus extending through 
the central sections. Peninsular Asia is the most impor- 
tant division of the continent, and includes Hindoostan, 
Indo-China and Corea, with the projecting part of China. 
Insular Asia includes the richest and most important archi- 
pelagoes in the world. 

594. What portion of the human race is in Peninsular 
Asia ? 

One-half. 

595. What can be said of the productions of Asia? 

As Asia embraces all varieties of climates, its produc- 
tions range from arctic to tropical. 

596. What is the longest inland commercial route on the 
globe? 

The caravan trade from Pekin through Irkoutsk, Tobolsk, 
to Moscow and St. Petersburg. 

597. How are the tablelands divided? 

Into those of Central and those of Southern Asia. Thejf 
are the loftiest and most extensive in the world. 



214 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

598. What countries constitute the Great Northern Plain 
of Asia 1 

Turkestan and Siberia. This is a continuation of the 
great plain of Europe. 

599. Describe the mountain system of Asia. 

It begins with the Taurus Mountains, and is continued 
by the Elburz and Hindoo Koosh to the Balor Mountains. 
Thence it branches off into four great chains — the 
Himalaya, Kuen Lun, Thian Shan, and Alti — which are 
the most stupendous mountains on the globe. 

600. Where is the Great Desert of Gobi? 

Near the central part of Asia, south of the Thian Shan 
Mountains. This is only a part of an immense belt of 
desert land which extends almost across the continent 
from west to east. 

601. What are the climatic divisions 1 

The three of Northern, Central, and Southern Asia. 

602. What is the climate of Northern Asia? 

It is characterized by intense cold, with short intervals 
of great heat during the summer. 

603. Describe Siberia. 

It is a great plain, comprising more than one-third of 
Asia. Near the Arctic Ocean it is a barren and desolate 
region, and the cold is so intense that the spongy soil is 
frozen to the depth of several hundred feet. Near the 
Irtysh River the soil is rich and the pasturage good, but 
there are few inhabitants. 

604. What is the climate of Central and Southern Asiat 
Central Asia has the climate of the temperate zone. It 

is subject to great extremes of heat and cold, and, except 
near the shores of the Pacific, is remarkably dry, for the 
mountain system intercepts the warm and moist winds 0/ 



GEOGRAPHY. 215 

the Indian Ocean. Southern Asia has the climate of the 
torrid zone. 

605. To what three races do the inhabitants of Asia 
be long 1 

Mongolian, Caucasian and Malay. 

606. What people belong to the Mongolian race? 

The nations living north of the Himalaya Mountains — 
those of Farther India, the Japanese and the Chinese. 

607. What nations., or tribes, living i?t Asia belong to the 
Caucasian race? 

The Georgians, Armenians, Arabs, Persians, Afghans 
and Hindoos. 

608. What countries are occupied by the Malay race? 

The peninsula of Malacca, and many of the islands of 
Oceanica. 

6og. For what has Siberia long been used? 

For a place of banishment for exiles and criminals. A 
large part of the population consists of them and their de- 
scendants. 

610. To what country does Georgia belong? 
ft is a Russian province. 

611. What is noticeable 0/ the inhabitants? 
The people are a vigorous and handsome race. 

612. How is Turkestan divided? 

Into Russian and Independent Turkestan. Russian 
Turkestan contains a number of districts called khanates, 
which are ruled by native rulers, although only as vassals 
of Russia. Independent Turkestan includes those Tartar 
khanates which are not yet annexed by Russia, represent 
ing only a small area of what was formerly Turkestan. 



2l6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

613. What is the Khan ? 

The name given to the rulers of the several independent 
states of Turkestan. 

614. What does the Chinese Empire include! 

China, the dependent provinces of Mantchooria, Mon- 
golia, Kashgaria and Thibet. 

615. What is said of the population of Chinal 

It is so dense in some districts that great numbers of 
the inhabitants dwell constantly in boats on the rivers, or 
on rafts on the lakes, which they convert into gardens by 
covering them with earth. They are a very industrious 
people, and jealous of European aggression. 

616. What are the productions of Chifia'i 

The most important are rice, tea and silk. Rice is the 
chief article of food for the entire population. 

617. What is the governmenfi 

A despotic empire. The laws are severe; for trifling 
offenses punishment is inflicted with the bamboo whip, 
while serious crimes almost always meet with death. 

618. What about education in China? 

Education is compulsory. All adult males are able to 
read and write and possess a knowledge of the elements of 
arithmetic. 

619. How are all government officers below the emperor 
selected! 

By means of public competitive examinations. 

620. What can be said of these people in regard to trade, 
the arts and sciences 1 

Their domestic commerce is immense, but their foreign 
commerce is in the hands of foreigners. Their skill in 
various occupations cannot be excelled, and many of our 
most useful inventions were known to them hundreds of 



GEOGRAPHY. 217 

years before they were known to the Europeans, but were 
not put to a practical use. 

62 1. Describe the great wall oj China. For tvhat purpose 
was it built f 

The wall is 1,200 miles long, from thirty to forty feet 
high, and twenty feet thick, with many towers and 
equipments for defense. It was buih about 211 B.C. to 
keep the Mongol Tartars out of China. 

622. Which are the most important seaports for foreign 
trade 1 

Canton, Shanghai, Ningpo, Fuchow, Amoy. 

623. Name the principal islands ofjapafi. 
Nipon, Sikoke, Kiusui and Jesso. 

624. What are the chief productions of these islands f 
Rice, wheat, barley, tea, tobacco and camphor. 

625. What is the government of f apart 1 
A constitutional monarchy. 

626. What is the emperot called? 
The Mikado. 

627. How do the fapanese compare in enlightenment with 
the Chinese? 

They surpass the Chinese in intelligence and equal them 
in mechanical skill. Although of related races, they differ 
greatly in their language and political institutions. They 
are quick to adopt the great inventions of the white civil- 
ized peoples, such as iheir military systems, lighthouses; 
steam-power and electricity. 

628. What two peninsulas comprise India? 
Hindoostan and Indo-China. 

629. What does British India include? 

Nearly all of Hindoostan and the western coast of Indo 



2l8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOIC. 

China. It is the richest and most important dependency 

ever possessed by any nation. 

630. How is Indo-China divided! 

Between Burmah, Siam, Anam and many smaller inde- 
pendent states. All have despotic governments. 

631. What pecitUariiy is found in the literature of the 
Hindoos ? 

It is written in a peculiar poetical and religious 
phraseology which has been in use since long before the 
Christian era. Besides being poetical, the Hindoos are 
almost universally musical. 

632. What is the government of British India? 

A Governor-General and a Supreme Council are ap- 
pointed by the British government. The Queen of England 
is Empress of India. 

633. What and where is Ceylon? 

It is a rich and populous island south of Hindoostan, and 
a separate colony of Great Britain. 

634. Where is Cochin-China ? 

The southeastern coast of Indo-China is called Cochin- 
China. 

635. Where do the French hold possessions? 

They possess an important province in the southwestern 
part, with Saigon for its capital. 

636. What a7'e the productions of India? 

Cotton, rice, wheat, opium, sugar, indigo, jute, fine silk 
fabrics and costly cashmere shawls. 

637. For what is Ceylon especially noted? 
For its coffee and cinnamon. 

638. Describe Afghanistafi. 

Persia, Afghanistan and Beloochistan occupy the desert 



GEOGRAPHY. 



219 



plateau of Iran, between the valleys of the Tigris and the 
Indus. The people of Afghanistan are hardy, warlike, and 
divided among many tribes. As this country is the chief 
route from India to Western Asia, it is of great commercial 
and military importance. 

639. What can be said 0/ Beloockistan? 

This country is mostly a barren wilderness, and consists 
of a number of small states under the headship of the Khan 
of Kelat. 

640. What is the government of Persia ? 

A despotic monarchy, with a sovereign called a Shah. 

641. What is the surface of Arabia? 

The greater part is a desert plateau. The principal 
fertile tracts are Oman and Yemen, and the mountain 
valleys. 

642. Describe the inhabitants. 

The greater part of them are Bedouins, a wandering 
people who live in the deserts, devoting themselves to the 
care of their camels, horses, goats and sheep. They are 
generous and hospitable, but vengeful and addicted to 
plunder. 

643. For what are Mecca and Medina noted! 

Mecca is regarded by Mohammedans as a holy city, the 
birthplace of Mohammed, and is annually visited by vast 
numbers of pilgrims. Medina is venerated as the burial- 
place of Mohammed. 

644. What is the general appearance of the Persians ? 

They are polite in their manners, and, having a compara- 
tively high civilization, are often called the French of Asia. 

645. What can be said of the past history of Persia ? 

It was once one of the grandest and most formidable 
governments of the world. 



220 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

646. Describe Arabia. 

Arabia is about one-third as large as the United States 
A great plateau, having many large and fertile valleys, 
occupies the interior; surrounding this is a broad belt of 
deserts, covering more than one-third of the peninsula; 
while along the coasts is a low and narrow sandy plain, 
containing a few fertile districts. 

647. What is its governvientl 

There are several independent states in Arabia, governed 
by despots called Sultans. 

648. Name the peiiinsulas of Asia. 

Arabia, Hindoostan, Malacca, Korea, and Kamtschatka 

649. Where is the Isthmus of K raw! 

It connects Malacca with the mainland. 
6500 Which is the most elevated lake ZJi the world 1 
Sirikol, the source of the Amoo River, on the tableland 
of Pamer. It is 15,600 feet above the level of the sea. 

651. Where is Pales tine 1 

Palestine is in the northeastern part of Arabia, on the 
Mediterranean Sea. 

652. Where is Jerusalem ? 
Jerusalem is the chief city of Palestine. 

653. Horn wide is Bering Strait? Dover? Gibraltar? 
Bering forty miles, Dover thirty, Gibraltar twelve. 

654. How wide is the Isthmus of Fan am a? Suez? Te- 
huantepec? 

Panama twenty-seven miles, Suez sixty-five, Tehuantepec 
one hundred and thirty. 

655. Which are the five largest isla?ids in the world? 
Australia, Greenland, Borneo, New Guinea and Mada- 
gascar. 



GEOGRAPHY. 221 

656. What are the sizes of the oceans? 

The Pacific Ocean contains about 82,000,000 square 
miles; the Atlantic, 30,000,000; the Indian, 22,000,000; 
the Antarctic, 12,000,000; and the Arctic, 4,000,000. 

657. In the production of what minerals does Great Britain 
exceed every other country? 

Coal, iron, salt, lead, and tin. 

658. Name the largest seven rivers in the United States. 
Describe them. 

Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, Rio Grande, Columbia, 
Nebraska, and Red. 

659. What are the principal uses of rivers? 
For drainage, commerce and milling. 

660. What important places of the globe are situated on or 
near the 4.0th parallel north latitude? 

Philadelphia, Columbus, Indianapolis, Springfield, Denver, 
Pekin, Constantinople, and Madrid. 

661. What part of the United States is in the same latitude 
north of the equator^ that the southern part of Africa is south 
of it? 

The boundary line which divides the States of Missis- 
sippi, Alabama and Georgia from Tennessee. 

662. What are the latitudes of Cape Horn and the Cape 
of Good Hope? 

Cape Horn is fifty-three degrees south, and Good Hope 
about thirty-two degrees. 

663. What is the difference between the natural location of 
commercial and manufacturing cities? 

Commercial cities require good harbors and water com- 
munication to facilitate commerce, while manufacturing 
cities depend very much upon water power to run theii 
machinery. 



2 22 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

664. Why is the water of Great Salt Lake not fresh J 
Lakes of this class lose water by evaporation only, and 

retain the salt and other materials carried into them by 
their affluent rivers. 

665. Name five of the principal articles exported by the 
people of the United States. 

Cotton, wheat, pork, cheese, machinery. 

666. Name some of the principal articles imported? 
Wool, tea, coffee and spices, dry goods, sugar and 

liquors. 

667. What are the great waterways for the internal com- 
merce of the United States? 

The Atlantic system, the Mississippi system, the Great 
Lakes with the St. Lawrence River, and the canals. 

668. Describe the Mississippi system. 

This system contains fifty-six great tributaries, containing 
17,000 miles navigable to steamboats and more than 
20,000 by barge. It carries an immense commerce, but in 
some localities the annual floods and droughts prevent a 
continuous shipment. Below the mouth of the Ohio the 
Mississippi sometimes rises more than fifty feet. 

669. What does the St. Lawrence system comprise? 

The Great Lakes and the navigable streams which flow 
into and through the St. Lawrence River. This system is 
closed for several months in the year on account of ice, but 
floods or droughts never affect it. 

670. Where are the chief canals? 

They lie at the entrance of Lake Superior, the Niagara 
Falls, the Rapids of the St. Lawrence and the Erie Canal. 

671. What change in the political status of the peninsula 

of Korea occurred in igio? 

It was annexed to the Japanese Empire. 



GEOGRAPHY. 223 

672. Give its area and population. 

It is about 600 miles long and 135 miles wide, and contains 
10,000,000 inhabitants. 

673. What country was absorbed by the British Empire 
in igoo, by war and conquest? 

The Transvaal Republic, in South Africa, a country 
about three times the size of Ohio ; rich in gold and diamond 
mines, but only having about 1,500,000 population. 

674. In what parts of the world do they raise the most 
corn? 

The United States, south central Europe and southeastern 
part of South America. 

675. In what parts the most wheatf 

The United States, Russia, France, India and Austria- 
Hungary. 

676. In ivhat parts do they produce the most sugar? 
Cuba first and Java second. 

677. In what parts the most coffeef 

Brazil, Venezuela, Guatemala, Dutch East Indies. 

678. What country produces the most coal, iron, petro- 
leum, wheat, cotton, and manufactured goods? 

The United States. No wonder we are a world pov/er. 



224 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 



679. The area and population of the five principal nations, 
together with their production of wheat, cotton, coal and 

manufactured goods. 

Enssian 

Empire Jrance ^j"®" 

i&Poss. 



Area 



Population 



British 
Empire 

11,444,000 



British 
Empire 

892,800,000 



8,800,000 



4,300,000 



3,800,000 



Russian United 

Empire States France Germany 



143,800,000 roi, 000,00c 91,000.000 



Wheat 



United States 

737,000,000 

Bushels 


Russia 


France 


India 


Austria- 


711,000,000 

Bushels 


Hungarj' 


365,000,000 

BoahelB 


300,000,000 
Bushels 


224,000,000 
Bushels 















Cotton 



United States 



10,600,000 

Bales 



India 



2,600,000 



China 



EgXEt 



porea 



Coal 



United States 



414,000,000 

Tons 



Great Britain 



281,000,000 

Tons 



^§I™aS3L-,Anstria. 



222,000,000 

Tons, 



Manufactured 
Goods 





United 


United States 
13,000 

1 MilUon.DoUaiB 


Kingdom 




5,000 

MUUoa DoUars 




France 


4,500 
Million 
Bollara 


3,500 
MllUoa 
Itollats 













GEOGRAPHY. 225 

RANK OF STATES ACCORDING TO 
POPULATION, 1910 

1. New York 9,113,279 

2. Pennsylvania 7,665,111 

3. Illinois 5,638,591 

4. Ohio 4,767,121 

5- Texas 3,896,542 

6. Massachusetts 3,366,416 

7. Missouri 3,293,335 

8. Michigan 2,810,173 

9. Indiana 2,700,876 

10. Georgia 2,609,121 

11. New Jersey 2,537,167 

12. California 2,377,549 

13. Wisconsin 2,333,860 

14. Kentucky 2,289,905 

15. Iowa 2,224,771 

16. North Carolina 2,206,287 

17. Tennessee 2,184,789 

18. Alabama 2,138,093 

19. Minnesota 2,075,708 

20. Virginia 2,061,612 

21. Mississippi 1,797,114 

22. Kansas 1,690,949 

23. Oklahoma 1,657,155 

24. Louisiana 1,656,388 

25. Arkansas 1,574,449 

26. South Carolina 1,515,400 

27. Maryland 1,295,346 

28. West Virginia 1,221,119 

29. Nebraska 1,192,214 

30. Washington 1,141,990 

31. Porto Rico 1,118,012 

32. Connecticut 1,114,756 

33. Colorado 799,024 

34. Florida 75i,i39 

35. Maine 742,371 

36. Oregon 672,765 

37. South Dakota 583,888 

38. North Dakota 577-oS6 

39. Rhode Island 542,610 



226 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

40. New Hampshire 430,572 

41. Montana 376,053 

42. Utah 373^351 

43. Vermont _ 355,956 

44. Dist. of Columbia 331,069 

45. New Mexico 327,301 

46. Idaho 325,594 

47. Arizona 204,354 

48. Delaware 202,322 

49. Hawaii 191,909 

50. Wyoming 145,965 

51. Nevada 81,875 

52. Alaska ,..,,,,,..,,.. 64,356 

TWENTY-FIVE LARGEST CITIES OF 
THE UNITED STATES, 1910 

New York 4,766,883 

Chicago 2,185,283 

Philadelphia 1,549,008 

St. Louis 687,029 

Boston 670,585 

Cleveland 560,663 

Baltimore 558,485 

Pittsburg 533,905 

Detroit 465,766 

Buffalo 423,715 

San Francisco 416,912 

Milwaukee 373,^57 

Cincinnati 364,463 

Newark 347,469 

New Orleans 339,o75 

Washington 331,069 

Los Angeles 319,198 

Minneapohs 301,408 

Jersey City 267,779 

Kansas City 248,381 

Seattle 237,194 

Indianapolis 233,650 

Providence 224,326 

Louisville 223,928 

Rochester 218,149 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 



1. What is mathematics 7 
The science of quantity. 

2. What is quantity? 

Anything that can be increased, diminished or measured. 

3. Define arithmetic as a science and as an art. 

As a science, it logically investigates and philosophically 
classifies and arranges the principles and rules of the sub- 
ject; as an art, it applies these principles. 

4. Upon what is arithmetic founded, and how are its oper- 
ations carried on ? 

It is founded on notation, and its operations are carried 
on by means of addition, subtraction, multiplication and 
division. 

5. What is arithmetical language! 

The method of expressing numbers. It is of two kinds, 
oral and written. 

6. What is a unit? 
One, or a single thing. 

7. What is a number? The power of a number? A root? 

A, number is a unit, or a collection of units. The power 

227 



2 28 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

of a number is the product produced by repeating a number 
so many times as a factor. A root is a factor repeated to 
produce power. 

8. What is an integer'? 
A whole number. 

9. What is the difference between an abstract number and 
a concrete number? 

An abstract number is one used without reference to any 
particular thing; as, i, 6, 15, etc. A concrete number is one 
that has reference to a particular thing; as, one tree, five 
boys, fifteen houses, etc. 

10. What is a sign? 

A sign is a character indicating an operation to be per- 
formed; as, -f-, X, — , +> V- 

11. What is the sign of aggregation? 

The sign of aggregation is a parenthesis, or bar, which 
shows that the numbers enclosed by it are to be considered 
together, subject to the same operation; as, (5 X6-i-2) 
or 5X6-^2. 

12. What is a rule? A problem? An axiom? 

A rule is a prescribed method of performing an opera- 
tion. A problem is a question or proposition to be solved. 
An axiom is any truth which is self-evident. 

13. What is analysis in arithmetic? 

The process of investigating principles, and solving prob- 
lems, independently of set rules. 

14. What is notation? 

Notation is a method of writing or expressing numbers 
by characters. 

1 5. What is numeration ? 

Numeration is a method of reading numbers expressed 
by characters. 

16. How many systems of notation are in general use? 
Two: the Roman and the Arabic. Roman notation: V, 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 229 

IX, XC, DC, MDCVI, etc. Arabic notation: i, 35, 156, 
1 701, etc. 

17. dpon ivhat is the Roman notation founded! 

Upon five principles: first, repeating a letter repeats its 
value; second, if a letter of any value is placed after one 
of greater value, it is added to the greater; third, if a letter 
of any value is placed before a greater, it is to be taken 
from the greater; fourth, if a letter of any value is placed 
between letters of higher value, it is to be taken from their 
united values; fifth, if a bar or dash is placed over a letter, 
it increases its value a thousandfold. 

18. In how many ways may numbers be written? 
In w^ords, letters, and figures; as, five, V. 5. 

ig. In the Arabic system 0/ notation numbers are expressed 
according to what principle? 

According to the positions of the nine characters. 

20. Why is the Arabic system of notation also called the 
decimal system 1 

Because of its increase and decrease in a tenfold ratio, 
from decem, a Latin word meaning ten. 

21. What is the difference between the simple and local 
value of a figure 1 

The simple value of a figure is its value when taken 
alone, while the local value depends upon the place it oc- 
cupies with other figures. 

22. What is the fundamental synthetic process of arithmetic? 
Addition, for by it we pass from unity to plurality; from 

the one to the many. 

23. Give the principles of addition. 

Only similar numbers can be added. The sum is a num- 
ber similar to the numbers added. The sum is the same 
in whatever order the numbers are added. 

24. What are the cases in, or modes of addition? 
Mental addition and written addition. 



230 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

25. Why do we write the numbers as suggested by the arith 
methics, and lohy do we begin at the right hand to add? 

Merely for convenience. 

26. What is the fundamental analytical process of arith' 
me tic? 

Subtraction. 

27. Give the principles of subtraction? 

Similar numbers, only, can be subtracted. The differ- 
ence is a number similar to the numbers subtracted. If 
the two numbers are equally increased or diminished the re- 
mainder will be the same. If the first number is equal to the 
sum of the second and the remainder, then the second must 
equal the difference between the first and the remainder. 

28. Name and define the cases in subtraction? 

One is expressed in the Arabic system, the other by some 
mental calculation. 

29. Name the prificiples of multiplication. 

The multiplier is always an abstract number. The 
product of two numbers is. the same, whichever is made the 
multiplier. If the multiplicand be multiplied by all of the 
parts of the multiplier, the sum of all the partial products 
will be the true product. The multiplicand equals the quo- 
tient of the product divided by the multiplier; the multi- 
plier equals the quotient of the product divided by the 
multiplicand. 

30. Why are the multiplicand a7id multiplier taken togethef 
called factors ? 

Because they make the product. 

31. What are the terms of division? 
The dividend, divisor and quotient. 

32. Upon 2e.>hat does the quotient depend? 
Upon both dividend and divisor. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 231 

33. Show how the value of the quotient depefids on the re- 
lation of divide7id and divisor. 

If one of these terms is changed it changes the quotient, 
but if both are changed alike the changes neutralize each 
other and the quotient remains the same. 

34. What principles of division are deduced from these re- 
lations 7 

Multiplying the dividend or dividing the divisor by any 
number multiplies the quotient by that number. Dividing 
the dividend or iTiultiplying the divisor by any number 
divides the quot'ent by that number. Multiplying or divid- 
ing both dividend and divisor by the same number does 
not change the quotient. 

35. In division, ivhat relation exists in regard to the 
quality of abstractness and cojicreteness] 

The quotient may be either abstract or concrete. It 
will be abstract when the dividend and divisor are both 
abstract, or both concrete. It will be concrete when the 
dividend is concrete and the divisor abstract. Either the 
divisor or quotient must always be an abstract number. 
An abstract number cannot be divided by a concrete 
number. 

36. How are numbers classified^ 

As even and odd; prime and composite; integral and 
fractional; abstract and concrete; simple and compound; 
like and unlike. 

37. What are the minuend and subtrahetidl 

The minuend is the number subtracted from ; the subtra- 
hend is the number subtracted. 

38. What is a composite number'? 

One that can be produced by multiplying two or more 
numbers together. Thus, 36 is a composite number because 
3 X 12 will produce it, and 4X9 will, also. 



2 32 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

39. What is factoring^ 

The process of separating numbers into factors. 

40. What are the component factors of a number? 

The several numbers which, being multiplied together, 
produce the number. 

41. What are the powers of a number? 

The first power is the number itself, or the root. The 
second power, or square, is the number multiplied by itself. 
The third power, or cube, is the product arising from using 
the number three times as a factor. 

42. What is the reciprocal of a number? 
It is I divided by that number. 

43. How do we find the true remainder by dividing by 
factors ? 

Multiply each partial remainder, except the first, by all 
the preceding divisors, and add these products to the first 
remainder. It will be noticed that after the first division 
the remainder cannot be of the same denomination as the 
first number divided; and as each succeeding division in- 
creases the value of the remainders, each remainder must 
be multiplied by all the preceding divisors to reduce it to 
its former denomination. 

44. What is a prime number? When are numbers prime 
to each otherf 

One which cannot be resolved into factors. Numbers are 
prime to each other when they have no common divisor. 
17 is a prime number and so is 29, 

45. What are a com?noTi divisor, and the greatest common 
divisor? 

One which will divide two or more numbers without a 
remainder. The greatest common divisor is the greatest 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 233 

number that will divide two or more numbers without x 
remainder. 

46. What are a multiple^ a common multiple^ and the least 
common multiple? 

A multiple is a number exactly divisible by a given 
number. A common multiple is one exactly divisible by 
two or more numbers. The least common multiple is the 
least number that is exactly divisible by two or more given 
numbers. Thus, 24 is a multiple of 4. 

47. What are fractions ? 
Parts of a unit. 

48. What is the value of a fraction 1 

The quotient of the numerator divided by the denomi- 
nator. 

49. What do the numerator and the denominator respect- 
ively show? 

The denominator shows into how many parts a number 
is divided; the numerator shows how many parts are 
taken. 

50. What are a proper fraction^ an improper fraction, a 
mixed fraction and a complex fraction? 

A proper fraction is one whose numerator is smaller 
than its denominator. An improper fraction is one whose 
numerator is equal to or greater than its denominator. A 
mixed number is one expressed by an integer and fraction 
written together. A complex fraction is one that has a 
fraction in its numerator, or in its denominator, or in 
both. 

51. Is a fraction a number? 

A fraction is a number of equal parts of unity, and 
consequently must represent a subdivision of numbers- 
thus, 5 feet is a number, and the fraction ^^ of a foot 
represents equal numbers of a lower order, as 5 inches. 



2 34 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

52. Is a fraction a denominate number? 
No. 

53. Why do we invert the divisor in division of fractions i 

For convenience; if it is not inverted the fractions must 
be reduced to a common denominator, and one numerator 
divided by the other. 

54. How do we find the greatest common divisor of frac- 
tions? 

We find the greatest common divisor of the given 
numerators, and the least common multiple of the denom- 
inators. 

55. How do we find the least common multiple of frac- 
tions? 

By finding the least common multiple of the numerators, 
and the greatest common divisor of the denominators. 

56. What are decimal fractions? 

Fractions whose denominators are increased or de- 
creased in tenfold ratio. 

57. What is the first thing to be considered in the treatment 
of decimals? 

The method of reading and writing them, or their 
numeration and notation. 

58. What will the denominator of a decimal always be? 

The unit i with as many ciphers annexed as are equal 
to the number of figures in the decimal or numerator. 

59. Upon what does the value of a decimal depejtd? 
Its distance from the decimal point. 

60. How do decimals increase a7id decrease? 

They increase from right to left, and decrease from left 
to right, in a tenfold ratio. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 235 

61. What is a pure decimall 

A pure decimal consists of a decimal only; for example^ 
-SSj which is read, as if written, -j^^^. 

62. What is a mixed decimal^ 

One with an integer and a decimal; thus, 15.7. 

63. What is a complex decimal^ / 
One with a fraction annexed; thus, .005I. 

64. From what are the na.5es of decimal orders derived? 
From the names of the orders of integers. 

65. What is the rule for the multiplication of decimals? 
Multiply as in simple numbers, and point off as many 

decimals in the product as the sum of the decimals in both 
multiplier and multiplicand. 
Examples : 

.12 3.02 

.08 .04 

.0096 .1208 

66. What is the rule for the division of decimals? 

Divide as in simple numbers, and point off as many deci- 
mals in the quotient as the decimal places of the dividend 
exceed those of the divisor. 

Examples : 

.12). 132 .ooi).3482 

~~ iT 348.2 

67. What is a circulating decimal? 

A decimal in which a figure or set of figures are continually 
repeating. 

68. What is a repetend? 

The figure or set of figures continually repeated. 

69. What is a continued fraction? 

A fraction whose numerator is i, and whose denominator- 



236 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

is a whole number, plus a fraction whose numerator is also 
I, and whose denominator is a similar fraction, etc. 

70. What is the difference between decimal fractions and 
common fractions? 

The decimal fraction has a denominator understood, show- 
ing that a unit is divided into ten equal parts, or subdivided 
in a tenfold ratio; the second has a denominator expressed, 
showing that a unit is divided into any number of equal parts. 

71. What is currency? 
The medium of circulation. 

72. From what was the sign $ derived? 

From the initial letters of the United States, U.S. joined 
together as a monogram., 

73. What is an aliquot part of a number? 
Such a part as will exactly divide that number. 

74. What is a bill? 

A written statement of articles bought or sold, together 
with the price of each and the whole cost. . 

75. What is a compound number? 

A concrete number, whose value is expressed in two or 
more different denominations. 

76. What is a denominate number? 

A concrete number in which the unit of measure is estab- 
lished by law or custom. 

77. What is a simple denominate number? 

A denominate number composed of units of the same de- 
nomination; as, 3 feet. 

78. What is a compound denominate number? 

One composed of two or more denominations which are 
related to each other; as, 3 feet 4 inches. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 237 

Example: Reduce 5 yds., 2 ft., 3 in. to inches. 

5 
3 

15 
2 

"it" 
12 

204 

^n^. 207 
or 
5 X 3 + 2 X 12 + 3 = 207 in., Ans. 

79. What is a standard unit 'I 

A unit of measure from which the other units of the 
same kind may be derived. 

80. Name the quantities of magnitude which give rise to 
denominate numbers? 

They are value, weight, length, surface, volume, ca- 
pacity, angles, time. 

81. What is the standard unit of value 1 

Money is the standard measure of value, and in the 
United States the standard unit is the dollar. In English 
money the pound sterling is the unit. 

82. What is the standard unit of weight? 
The Troy pound. 

83. What is the standard unit of length? 
The yard. 

84. What is the standard unit of surface? 

The square yard for ordinary measurement, and the 
acre for land. 

85. What is the standard unit of volume? 

The cubic yard for ordinary measurement, and the cord 
for wood. 



238 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Example: Divide 45 A. of land among seven children so 

that each child will have an equal portion. 
Solution ; 45 A. -^ 7 = 6 A. and 3 A. remaining. 

3 A. X 160 = 480 -^ 7 1= 68 sq. rds. and 4 sq. rds. re- 
maining. 

4 sq. rds. >( 30^ =i2i-f-7=i7sq. yds. and 2 sq. yds. 
remaining. 

2 sq. yds. X 9 = 18 — :- 7 = 2 sq. ft. and 4 sq. ft. remain- 
ing. 

4 sq. ft. X 144 = 576 -f- 7 = 82 sq. in. and 2 sq, in. 
remaining. 

Ans. 6 A., 68 sq. rds., 17 sq. yds., 2 sq. ft., 82f sq. in. 
to each child. 

86. What is the standard unit of capacity i 

The gallon for fluids, and the bushel for dry measure. 

87. What is the standard unit of angles i 
The right angle. 

88. What is the standard unit of time? 

The day. This is determined by the revolution of the 
earth. 

89. What is a measure 1 

That by which extent, dimension, capacity, or amount 
is ascertained. Measures are of eight kinds : length, 
surface or area, solidity, weight, time, angles, capacity and 
money. 

90. How many dimensions has extension! 
Extension has three: length, breadth, and thickness. 

91. Explain how distance is measured by time'i 

Every circle is supposed to be divided into 360 equal 
parts called degrees. As the earth makes its revolution 
once in 24 hours, the 24 hours must equal 360°, or i 
hour, 15° of distance. By subdividing, we find that 1° 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 239 

would equal 4 minutes, and -^^ of a degree would equal 
4 seconds. 

92. jETow do you find the difference in time corresponding to 
any given difference in longitudel 

Divide the difference in longitude, expressed in degrees, 
minutes and seconds, by 1 5, and the respective quotients 
will be hours, minutes, and seconds. 

93. How do you find the difference in longitude correspond- 
ing to any given difference in time? 

Multiply the difference in time, expressed in hours, 
minutes and seconds, by 15, and its respective products 
will be degrees, minutes and seconds of longitude. 

94. How do you find the time at one place, when the time 
at another place and the difference of these places in time are 
known 7 

When the second place is east of the first, add their 
difference of time; when it is west of the first, subtract 
their difference of time. 

95. How do navigators determine their longitude at seal 
Taking with them a chronometer set to mark the time at 

a given place — as Greenwich or Washington — they ascer- 
tain by observation of the sun with the sextant the time at 
the place they are in, reduce the difference of time to the 
difference of longitude, and thus ascertain that they are so 
many degrees east or west of the meridian of the place for 
which the chronometer is set. 

96. What is a scale? 

A series of numbers, descending or ascending, used in 
operations upon compound numbers. 

97. What is 7V eight? 

A measure of the quantity of matter a body contains, 
according to some fixed standard. 



240 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

98. Describe Gunter's chain. 

It consists of 100 links, each link containing 7.92 
inches, or the whole length 66 feet, or 4 rods. 

99. What is the difference between a pound Troy and a 
pound avoirdupois ? 

The Troy pound has 5,760 grains: the avoirdupois, 7,000. 

100. " What is linear measure] 

That which is used in measuring lines or distances. 

1 01. What are a square, and a cube? 

A square is a superficial figure having four equal sides 
and four equal angles; a cube is a solid figure having six 
equal sides. 

102. How many inches in a wine gallon, in a beer gallon, 
and in a bushel? 

In a wine gallon, 231 cubic inches; in a beer gallon, 282; 
in a bushel, 2,150.4 cubic inches. 

103. What are duodecimals? 

The division and subdivision of a unit, resulting by 
continually dividing by 12. 

104. What is percentage? What is its base? 

Such part of a number as is represented by the per cent. 
Its base is the number on which the percentage is reckoned. 

105. What do the words per cent, mean? 
By the hundred. 

106. Name and define the elements involved in percentage? 
The elements are: the base, or number of which the 

per cent, is taken ; the rate, or number of hundredths taken ; 
the percentage, or quantity taken; the amount, or sum of 
the base and the perceiatage; and the difference, or base 
less the percentage. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 241 

107. What is the difference between rate and rate per cent? 
The rate is the number of hundredths, and the rate per 

cent, is the fraction which denotes how many hundredths 
are taken. Thus, in 3%, or ^§^, 3 is the rate and jg^ 
the rate per cent. 

108. Give the applications of percentage. 

The rules of percentage are applied to the computing of 
interest, discount, commission, taxes, insurance, duties, and 
especially profit and loss. 

109. What is commission^ What is brokerage? 

The percentage allowed an agent, factor or commission 
merchant, is commission. Brokerage is the fee paid to a 
dealer in money, stocks, etc., for the transaction erf 
business. 

SOLUTIONS IN PERCENTAGE. 

The reader should always bear in mind that 50% of a 
number would be \ of it; 33;|% of a number is ^ of it; and 
20% of anything is ^ of it; 5% of a number is ^^ of it; 
while 2% of anything is -^ of it. 
Example I. Find 9% of $284. 
Solution: $284 X -09 = $25.56, Ans. 
Example 2. $21.96 is 6% of what number? 
Solution: $21.96 -^ .06 = $366, Ans. 
Example 3. $430 is 7^% more than what number? 
Solution: That number must be 100% of itself. 
Then 100% + 7|% must = $430. 
$430 -^- 107^ = $4, which is 1% of the number, and 
100% = 100 X $4, or $400, Ans. 
Example 4. A man bought 50 shares of stock at 96^^ and 
sold it at par. Allowing -^c. brokerage on each trans- 
action, how much did he gain on the 50 shares, provided 
the shares were $10 each? 
Solution: One dollar's worth of stock would cost him 
96JC. -|- ^c. or 97c. ; and a share would cost him 97c. 



242 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK.' 

X lO or $9.70; and 50 shares would cost him $9.70 X 
50 or $485. Now he sells one dollar's worth for looc. 

— -Jc. brokerage, or 99^c., and a ten-dollar share would 
bring him 99|^c. X 10, or $9.98!; and 50 shares would 
bring him $9.98! X 50, or $499,374- And $499-374 

- $485 = $14,374, ^ns. 

Example 5. A man had $3875 to invest in stock, which 
was quoted in the market at 96I; if he had to pay also 
■Jc. commission, how many one-hundred-dollar shares 
could he buy? 

Solution: One dollar's worth of stock would cost him 
96fc. -|- ^c, or 964c.; and with his $3875 he could 
purchase as many dollars' worth of stock as .964 is 
contained in $3875, or $4015.54; and there would be 
as many shares as $100 is contained in $4015.54, or 
40 shares, with $15.54 still uninvested. 

Example 6. If a company declares a dividend on its stock 
of 44 per cent, and this dividend amounts in cash to 
$4050, what is the amount of the stock of that company ? 

Solution: If one dollar of stock yields 44c., then to yield 
$4050 it would take as many dollars of stock as 44c. is 
contained in $4050, or $90,000 worth of stock. $4050 
-^ .044 = $90,000, Ans. 

Example 7. A man bought 250 one-hundred-dollar shares 
of stock at 99 per cent., and sold 100 shares at lOi per 
cent., and 150 shares at 98 per cent. If he paid -^c. 
brokerage for the buying, and ^c. brokerage for the sell- 
ing of all of it, did he gain or lose in the transaction, 
and how much? 

Solution: 99c. -|- 8^- = 99 gC X lOO = $99,124, cost of 
one share. $99,124 X 250 = $24,781.25, cost of en- 
tire stock. 

i.oi — |c. = i.oo| X 100 = $100,874, selling price 
of one share. $100,874 X 100 = $10,087.50, selling 
price of one hundred shares. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 243 

.98 — -^c. = .971- X 100 = $97.87^, selling price of 

one share. $97. 87^ X 150 = $14,681.25, selling price 

of one hundred and fifty shares. 

$24,781.25 cost — ($10,087.50 + $14,681.25) = 

$12.50 loss, Ans. 
Example 8. A company has a capital stock of $75,000, 

and loses $1,875 the first year in business. What per 

cent, of assessment must be made on the stockholders to 

make up this deficit? 
Solution: If $75,000 must make up a loss of $1,875, then 

one dollar of the stock would be assessed ^-^^^oi $1,875, 

or 2^ per cent., Ans. 

75000) 1 875. 000 (.025 
150000 
375000 
375000 



110. What is a commission merchant? 

An agent who buys and sells goods for another on com- 
mission. 

111. What are a consignee, and a consignor? 

A person who receives goods to sell for another is a con- 
signee; a consignor is a person who sends goods to another 
to be sold. 

112. What is a company? What is a corporation? 

A company is a group of individuals united for the purpose 
of performing some business or undertaking. A corporation 
is a company formed and authorized by law to act as one 
person. 

113. What is a share of stock, and what is a stockholder? 
Stock is the amount of capital invested, and a share is one 

of the equal parts into which capital stock is divided. A 
stockholder is the owner of stock. 



244 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

114. What is the difference between a charter and a firm? 
A charter defines the powers of an incorporated body, 

while firm is the name under which an unincorporated body 
transacts business. 

115. What is stock at par? 

Stock is at par when it sells for its face value; it is said 
to be above par when it sells for more, and below par when it 
sells for less. 

116. What is profit and loss? 

A commercial term, used to express the gain or loss in 
business transactions. 

117. How do we find the loss or gain per cent, when the 

cost and selling price are given? 

Divide the gain or loss by the purchase price, or cost. 

118. How do we find the selling price when the cost and 
gain or loss per cent, are given? 

Multiply the purchase price by $1, increased or diminished, 
as the case may be, by the gain or loss per cent. 

119. How do we find the cost when the selling price and 
the gain or loss per cent, are given? 

Divide the selling price by $1, increased or diminished, as 
the case may be, by the gain or loss per cent. 

Example i. How should goods be marked, that cost $25, 

so there will be a gain of 12% when sold? 
Solution: 12% of $25 is $3, and $25 -|- $3 = $28, Ans. 
Example 2. Goods were marked to sell for $59, which 

was at a profit of 18%. What was the cost of the 

goods ? 
Solution: The goods cost iOO%, and if they sold at a 

profit of 18%, then $59 is 118% oi the cost; and $59 

-f- 118 = .50 or 1%; and 100% = .50 X 100, or 

$50, cost of goods, Jns. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 245 

"Example 3. A house was sold for $2,600 that cost the 
owner $2,925. What was his loss per cent.? 

Solution: $2925 — $2600 = $325, the loss in money; and 
if $2925, the cost, lost $325, then one dollar of the cost 
would iose^^-g- of $325, or 11-9%, Ans. 

120. What is an instalment? An assessment? A divi- 
dend? 

An instalment is an advance payment required of the 
stockholders on their subscriptions to the capital stock. An 
assessment is a sum required of the stockholders to meet the 
losses of the business expenses of the company. A dividend 
is a sum paid to the stockholders from the profits of the 
business. 

121. What is insurance? A policy? A premium? 

Insurance is security on property guaranteed by one party 
to another for a stipulated sum, against the loss of property 
by any casualty. A policy is a written contract between the 
parties. A premium is the sum periodically paid for in- 
surance. 

122. Define an underwriter. 

An underwriter is an insurer — the person who takes the 

risk. 

123. Name the kinds of insurance. 

There are six different kinds of insurance: Fire insurance, 
Marine insurance, Cyclone insurance. Accident insurance, 
Health insurance. Life insurance. 

124. What is a tax? A poll tax? An assessor? 

A tax is a money payment assessed on the person or on 
property of the individual for public purposes. A poll tax 
is a head-tax — a sum required of each male citizen liable to 



246 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

taxation, without regard to his property. An assessor is 
the person appointed to prepare the assessment-roll and 
apportion the taxes. 

125. Wkaf is an inventory? 

A written list of articles of property, with their values. 

126. What are general average and jetsam i 

General average is a method of ascertaining the loss to 
be sustained by the proprietors of ships, freight and cargo 
respectively where a part of the property has been sacri- 
ficed or damaged for the common safety. Jetsam is the 
part of the goods thrown overboard. 

127. What are duties or customs, and what is a custom- 
house 1 

Duties or customs are taxes levied on imported goods. 
A custom-house is an office established by the government 
for the transaction of business relating to duties. 

128. What is smuggliftg? 

Carrying on foreign commerce secretly, without paying 
the duties imposed by law. 

129. How many kinds of duties are there? Define them. 

There are two kinds of duties: ad valorem and specific. 
An ad valorem duty is the sum computed on the cost of 
the goods in the country from which they were imported. 
A specific duty is a sum computed on the weight or meas- 
ure of the goods, without regard to their cost. 

130. What is interest, and what is usury? 

A sum paid for the use of money. Usury is interest 
above the legal rate. 

131. What is a custom tariff? 

A list of the rates of duties to be collected. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 247 

132. What is the difference between simple and compound 
interest? 

Simple interest is the interest on the principal only; com- 
pound interest is the interest on the principal and the pre- 
vious interest added. 

133. The time J rate per cent, and interest being given, 
how do we find the principal? 

Divide the given interest by the interest on $1 for the 
given time at the given rate. 

Example: What is the face of a note that in I yr. 6 mo. 
15 da. at 6% would yield $12.95 interest? 

Solution: One dollar at 6% for i yr. 6 mo. 15 da. would 
yield 9^ cents, and to yield $12.95 it would take as many 
dollars as g^ cents is contained in $12.95, or $140, Ans. 

134. The time, rate per cent, and amount being given, how 
do we find the principal? 

Divide the given amount by the amount of $1 for the 
given time at the given rate. 

Example: A certain note in 2 yr. 3 mo. and 10 da. at 
8% amounted (principal and interest) to $127.68. 
What was the face of the note ? 

Solution: One dollar at 8% for 2 yr. 3 mo. and lO da. 
would yield i8.2|- cents, and the amount of the one 
dollar would be $1.1 82|^, and it would take as many 
dollars to amount to $127.68 as $i.i82-| is contained in 
$127.68, or $108, face of note, Ans. 

135. The principal, time and interest being given, how do 
we find the rate per cent.? 

Divide the given interest by the interest on the principal 
at I per cent, for the time. 

Example: A note of $246 in 2 yr. 6 mo. yielded $27. 67^^ 

interest. What was the rate per cent. ? 
Solution: At one per cent, the $246 for 2 yr. 6 mo. would 

yield $6.15; and for the note to yield $27,675 it would 



248 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

take as many times one per cent, as $6.15 is contained In 

$27,675, or 4^%, Ans. 

136. The principal J interest, and rate per cent, being given, 
how do we find the time? 

Divide the given Interest by the Interest on the principal 
for one year at the rate per cent. 

137. What is a partial payment? An indorsement? 
Partial payment of a note, bond, or other obligation Is 

the payment of a certain amount of the money due on the 
obligation. An Indorsement is anything vi^ritten on the back. 

138. What is discount? What is the present worth of a 
debt, and how do we find it? 

Discount is an allowance made for the payment of a debt 
before it is due. The present worth of a debt is such a sum as, 
being put at legal interest, would amount to the debt when 
due. It is found by dividing the given debt by the amount 
of $1 at interest for the given time and rate. 

139. What is a bank? What is bank discount? What 
are days of grace? 

A bank is a corporation chartered by law for the purpose 
of receiving and loaning money, and perhaps also of issuing 
a paper circulation. Bank discount is an allowance made to 
a bank for the payment of a debt before it is due. Days of 
grace are three days allowed a debtor to pay his obligations 
after they become due. This practice has been discontinued 
in many of the States. 

Example I. A man desiring some ready money made out 
and signed a note for $275, due in 6 mo. He, took it to 
a bank, and the bank discounted it at 8% and handed 
him the proceeds in cash. How maich money did he get ? 
Solution: 8% on $275 for 6 mo. is $ll, which the bank 
demanded; and they gave the man $275 — $11, or 
$264, Ans- 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 249 

(At the end of the 6 mo. the man would have to return to 
the bank and pa)' the bank $275 cash, and take up his 
note.) 

Example 2. A party took a note to a bank and had it dis- 
counted at 6% for 3 mo. The banker handed the party 
in cash $65.01. How large was the note? 

Solution: One dollar discounted at 6% for 3 mo. would 
yield 98|-c. ; and to yield $65.01 it would take as great 
a note as g8|c. is contained in $65.01, or $66, the size 
of the note, Ans. 

140. What is a promissory notef What is a bank-note? 
What is a negotiable note? 

A promissory note is a written agreement to pay a cer- 
tain sum either on demand or at a specified time. Bank- 
notes are paper currency issued by banks as money. A 
negotiable note is one which may be bought and sold, or 
negotiated, and is made payable to the bearer or to the order 
of the payee. 

141. Name and define the kinds of notes. 

They are classified as time notes, negotiable notes, joint 
notes, bank-notes, drafts, stock, and bonds. 

142. What is a notary public f Whqt is a protest? 

An officer authorized by law to attest the validity of docu- 
ments or undertakings of any kind. A protest is a formal 
declaration in writing, made by a notary public, at the re- 
quest of the holder of a note, notifying the makers and the 
indorsers of its non-payment. 

143. What is a draft? A check? 

A draft is a note of exchange, issued by one party, call- 
ing upon a second party to pay over to a third party so 
much money, and charge therewith the account of the 
third party. A check is also a note of exchange, but made 



250 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

payable at some bank where the person issuing it has de« 
posits or credit. 

144. What is a bondl What is a couponi 

Bonds are interest-bearing notes issued by nations, states, 
cities, railroad companies, and other corporations as a 
means of borrowing money. The coupons are the due-bills 
for the interest, which, as they become due, are cut ofif and 
presented for payment. 

145. What do the terms '■'■Jive-tzventies''^ and '■'■ ten-forties^'' 
mean ? 

They are applied to government bonds and indicate the 
time when due. The five-twenties are due twenty years 
after issue, although the government can pay them any 
time after five if they choose to do so. The same rule of 
interpretation applies to the ten-forties. These war-bonds 
are now out of date. 

146. What is exchange, and how many kinds are there? 

Exchange is a method of remitting money from one per- 
son to another, or making payments by written orders. 
There are two kinds, domestic and foreign. 

147. Define these. 

Domestic or inland exchange is the exchange between 
different places in the same country. Foreign exchange 
is the remittance made between different countries. 

148. What is a bill of exchange 'i 

It is a written request or order upon one person to pay a 
certain sum to another person, or to his order, at a speci- 
fied time. A draft or check is one kind of bill of exchange. 

149. How many parties are there to a transaction in ex^ 
change'} 

There are always three, and usually four. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 251 

150. What is a set of exchange? What is a course of ex- 
change? 

It consists of three copies of the same bill sent by differ- 
ent conveyances to provide against a loss; when one has 
been paid the others are void. A course of exchange is the 
current price paid in one place for bills of exchange on 
another place. 

Example i. A drover went to a bank in New York with 
$2450, and desired a draft to mail to his son in Kansas 
City. How large a draft could he get if the bank 
charged ^ of one per cent, for writing up and giving 
the draft to him? 
Solution: A dollar draft v/ould cost the drover $1 plus 
the ^c. that the bank charged. Hence a dollar draft 
cost $i.oo-J, and he could get as large a draft for his 
money as $1.00^ is contained in the $2450, or $2437.81, 
Ans. 
Example 2. A lady went to a bank in Pittsburg one day 
and purchased a draft to send to her daughter in At- 
lanta. The bank charged her i^ per cent, exchange. 
She paid for the draft but did not have money enough 
to pay the exchange. So the bank waited until the fol- 
lowing Saturday, when she paid them $3.75 in full. 
How large a draft did the lady send to her daughter 
the day previous? 
Solution: If the bank charged .Oi;|c. for writing up a 
draft for one dollar, then if the lady paid exchange to 
the amount of $3.75 her draft must have been as large 
as .oi^c. is contained in $3-75, or $300, Ans. 

151. What is equation of payments? 

The process of finding the mean time of the payment of 
several sums, due at different times, without interest. 

152. What is equated time? 

The date at which several debts may be paid at one time. 



252 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

|. 

153. What is the focal date? ^' 

The date by which all others are compared in averaging 
an account. 

154. What is partnership? 

A relation established by two or more persons in trade. 
The individuals thus associated are called partners. 

155- What is the difference between simple and compound 
partnership? 

A simple partnership is one in which each of the partners 
has his capital invested for the same length of time. A 
compound partnership is that in which the capital of the 
partners is employed for different periods of time. 

156. What is an indorsement? 

The indorsement of a bill of exchange is the writing upon 
its back by which the payee relinquishes his title, and trans- 
fers the payment to another. 

157- What is an acceptance? 

The acceptance of a bill is the promise which the drawee 
makes to pay it at maturity. 

158. Hoiv is this obligation acknowledged? 

By writing the word "accepted," with his signature, across 
the face of the bill. 

159. What is a bankrupt? 

A bankrupt is a person who fails in business and has not 
property enough to pay his bills. 

160. What is the difference between a bankrupt and an 
insolvent? 

"Bankrupt" is strictly a term applicable only to a trader, 
while the term "insolvent" applies to any person who is 
unable to pay his debts. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 253 

161. Define bankruptcy. 

It is the condition of the business of a bankrupt. 

162. What is analysis? 

It is the process of arriving at a required result by follow- 
ing a course of reasoning, and not by formal rules. 

163. What is ratio? Define each kind. 

Ratio is the comparison of two numbers with each other. 
Arithmetical ratio is the difference between two numbers. 
Geometrical ratio is one divided by the other. 

164. What are the terms of a ratio? 
The two numbers compared. 

165. What are the antecedent and consequent? 

The antecedent is the first term of a ratio ; the consequent 
is the second term. 

166. What are direct and inverse ratio? 

Direct ratio is dividing the consequent by the antecedent. 
Inverse ratio is dividing the antecedent by the consequent. 

167. In how many ways may the ratio of two numbers be 
expressed? 

In two ways : By placing a colon between the terms, or by 
the form of a fraction, taking the antecedent for the numera- 
tor and the consequent for the denominator. 

Example: What is the ratio between 6 and 10? 

6 
6 : 10 or — , Ans. 
10 

168. What is the difference between a simple ratio and a 
compound ratio? 

A simple ratio is the ratio of two numbers. A compound 
ratio is the product of two or more simple ratios. 



254 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Example I. Is the ratio the same between 7 and 21 as be- 
tween 15 and 45? 
Solution: 7 : 21 :: 15 : 45 

7 15 
21 45 

I I 

— = — Ans., Yes. 
3 3 

Example 2. What number has the same ratio to 65 that 5 

has to 15? 
Solution: 5 : 15 :: what : 65 

5 what 



15 65 
I 2lt 



3. 65 

169. What is proportionf 

An equality of ratios. 

170. Which are the extremes and the means of a stated 
proportionf 

The extremes are the ifirst and fourth terms of a stated 
proportion. The means are the other two. 

171. What is a continued proportionf 

A proportion with more than two equal ratios; as, 
3:5::6:io::9:i5. 

172. How many antecedents are there in a proportion, and 
how many consequentsf 

As each ratio has an antecedent and consequent, the first 
and third terms of a proportion are the antecedents, and 
the second and fourth the consequents. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 255 

173. How are ratio and proportion distinguished? 

Ratio is the relation between two numbers, while pro- 
portion is the relation between two ratios? 

174. What is a simple proportion? 

An equality between two simple ratios. 

Example: In a sack of 162 lb. of rough rice the ratio of 
hulls to clean rice is as i to 4. How many pounds of 
clean rice in the sack? 

Solution: 1:5:: what : 162 

I what 



162 
32f 

162 



hulls hulls 
I :5 ::32f : 162 

162 — 32f = I29f, Ans. 

175. What is a direct proportion? 

One in which each term increases or diminishes, as the 
one on which it depends increases or diminishes, 

176. What is an inverse proportion? 

One in which each term increases as the term upon which 
it depends diminishes, or diminishes as it increases. 

177. What is a compound proportion? 

A proportion in which either ratio is compound. 

Example: Two planters expended $2240 on an irrigating 
plant. One owned 80 A. and the other 120 A. If 
they paid in the ratio of their acreage, how much did 
each pay? 



256 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Solution : 

80 : 200 : : what : 2240 
80 what 



200 


2240 


2 


what 


5 


2240 


2 


896 



5 2240 
80 : 200 : : 896 : 2240 

Hence the 80 A. pays $896. 
And also 

120 : 200 : : what : 2240 
120 what 









200 


2240 








3 


what 








5 


2240 




120 


3 

5 
120 : 200 : 

A. pays $1 


1344 


Hence the 


2240 
: 1344 :2240 

344. 



178. Of what does alligation treat"? 

Of mixing or compounding two or more ingredients of 
difFerent values. 

179. How many kinds of alligation are there? Define 
each. 

Two: medial and alternate. Medial is the process of 
finding the average price or quality of several ingredients 



' 3- 


J 




■ :> 




I 


. lO — 


i 





WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 257 

whose prices or qualities are known. Alternate is the process 
of finding the proportional quantity to be taken of several 
ingredients whose prices are known. 

180. Give the analysis of alligation. 

Alligation is but a short way of performing an analysis. 
To show the process we will unite 3, 4, 7, 10, to form a 
value worth 6. 

4 It will be noticed that the dif- 

2 ference between 10 and 6 is a loss 
I of 4, and to make a loss of i will 

3 require ^, also there will be a 
gain of -J in the opposite connection. The proportion, then, 
if the two terms 3 and lO, expressed in fractions, is -J and |, 
which, reduced to a common denominator, is y\ and ^^g, or 
expressed in whole numbers, 4 and 3, which, in alligation, is 
understood as an exchange of difference without the use of 
fractions and their reduction to whole numbers. 

181. What is an annuity? 

A sum of money payable at certain intervals of time, usual- 
ly one year. 

182. Name and define the kinds of annuity. 

A certain annuity, which continues for a fixed period of 
time; a perpetual annuity, continuing forever; a contingent 
annuity, depending upon certain occurrences, as on the death 
of a person; an annuity in reversion, one that begins at a 
specified future time or event; and an annuity in arrears, 
one the payments of which have been allowed to accumulate 
instead of being paid. 

Examples: A man by will left to his son a stipend of $10 
per month until the son reached the age of 30 years. 
This would be a certain annuity. 
Where a person settles upon another a sum of money, say 
$50 per year to continue till the said person contracts 
marriage, this would be a contingent annuity. 



358 COMAJON SCHOOL QUESl'lON noOK. 

If :i piMsoii cDutiju'ts to pay to aiiotlur person a sum of 
nioiU'\, say ^f^.S pi'i month not to commrmT till the per- 
son icai'lu'S tlu" a.^c of 50 yt'ais, and (hen contiiuic the 
rest of his life, this would he an annuity in revorsion. 

VVluMV a person mants to another a sum of money, say 
:/^,S (HT month to eomiuenee at hirth and none of the 
money to he paid over till the heneiieiary reaches tlu 
ii^v of 21 years, this wouKl he an annuity in arrears. 

l8.^ 11 hat is Involution^ 

The process of raisini^ a numher to a j^iven power. 

1S4. Il'hdt is (I siin/f 

The indieateil root of an imperfect power. 

iSs. // liiit is /III' powrr of a nuinhrrf 

A power ol a fuiiuher is the result ohtained hy using it a 
certain numln-r ol times as a factor. 

lS(). ////<;/ is (I [^trftit power/ .In i/npcrfrct pon'rrf 

A pertect power is a numher whose root can he lound. 
v\n imperfect power is one whose root cannot he exactly 
tound. 

1S7. // hill is tJic twpoiuiit of II poiiur:' 

The exponent ol a power is a mmiher placeil at the right 
of the root and just ahove it, to show the numher of times 
the root is to he useil, as 1,* -- 3 X .^ X .> X .v 

188. Define ei'o/iition. 

Evolution is (he process of e\ti acting!: tlie root ol any mim- 
her loiisideieil a p()\\c'i. It is the opposite ol iii\oIution. 

I.St). 11 hill is the loot of ,1 iiiinihei/ 

I'he rot)t ol a miinht r is one ol (lie ecpial factors of that 
mimher. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 259 

190. How are the roots of numbers indicated? 

By the sign called a radical V- The figure on the sign 
indicates the root. 

Examples: ^^64 = 8 

-^27 = 3 

</l6=2 

-^243 = 3 

191. What is the square root of a number? 

One of two equal factors that produce that number. 

192. What is the cube root of a number? 

One of three equal factors that produce that number. 

193. What is an arithmetical progression? 

A series of numbers increased or diminished by a common 
difference. 

Examples: Common difference, 3. Then 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 
etc., would be an arithmetical progression. 

194. What is a geometrical progression? 

A series of numbers increased or diminished by a con- 
stant multiplier. 

Common multiplier, 4. Then 2, 8, 32, 128, 512, etc., 
would be a geometrical progression. 

195. What five things are to be considered in an arithmet- 
ical progression? 

The first term, the last term, the number of terms, the 
common difference and the sum of the series. Three of 
these being given, the other two can be found. 

196. What things are to be considered in a geometrical 
progression? 

They are the first term, the last term, the number of terms, 



26o COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

the constant multiplier, and the sum of the series. Three oi 
these being given, the other two can be found. 

197. What is a duodecimal? 

A denominate number in which twelve units of any de- 
nomination make a unit of the next higher denomination. 

198. What is mensuration? 
The art of measuring magnitudes. 

199. What is magnitude? 

Anything which has length, breadth and thickness. 

200. What is the measuring unit of surfaces? 

It is customary to use the square as the measuring unit, as 
a square inch, foot, rod, etc. 

201. How do you find the area of a square? 
By multiplying the length by the breadth. 

202. How do you find the area of (a) a rhombus, (b) of a 
trapezium, (c) of a triangle? 

(a) By multiplying the length by the altitude; (b) by 
multiplying half the sums of the parallel sides by the alti- 
tude; (c) by multiplying the base by half the altitude. 

203. How do you find the area of a triangle when the 
three sides are given? 

From half the sum of the three sides subtract each side 
respectively; then multiply together half the sum and the 
three remainders, and extract the square root of the product. 

Example: The three sides of a triangle are 5 rods, 9 rods 
and 12 rods: to find the area. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 261 

Solution: (5 -[- 9 + 12) -f- 2 = 13 
13 - 5 = 8 
13 — 9 = 4 
13 — 12 = I 

8 X4X I X 13 = 416 
-V^4i6 = 20.+, ^ns. 

204. How do you find the circumference of a circle when 
the diameter is given? 

To find the circumference multiply the diameter by 
3.14159; to find the diameter, divide the circumference by 
the same number. 

205. How do you find the area of a circle? 

By multiplying half the crcumf erence by half the diameter ; 
or, by multiplying the circumference by a fourth of the 
diameter. 

206. How do you find the side of the greatest square that 
can be inscribed in a circle of a given diameter? 

Divide the square of the given diameter by 2, and extract 
the square root of the quotient. 

Example: What is the side of the greatest square that can 
be inscribed within a circle vv^hose diameter is 16 ft.? 

16^ = 256 ^- 2 = 128 
-V^I28 = 11.3+. ^ns. 

207. How do you find a mean proportional between two 
numbers? 

By multiplying the given numbers together, and extracting 
the square root of the product. 

208. How do you find the solidity of bodies whose sides 
are perpendicular to each other? 

By multiplying the length, breadth and thickness. 



202 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

209. How do you find the solidity of a prism? 
By multiplying the area of the base by the height. 

210. How do you find the lateral surface of a right prismf 
By multiplying the length by the perimeter of the base. 

211. How do you find the solidity of a pyramid or conef 
By multiplying the area of the base by ^ of the altitude. 

212. How do you find the lateral or convex surface of a 
regular pyramid or conef 

By multiplying the perimeter of the base by ^ of the slant 
height. 

213. How do you find the solidity of a cylinder? 

By multiplying the area of the base by the height or length. 

,\ 214. How do you find the convex surface of a cylinder? 
By multiplying the circumference of the base by the height. 

215. How do you find the surface of a sphere or globe? 
By multiplying the circumference by the diameter. 

216. How do you find the solidity of a sphere or globe? 
By multiplying the surface by ^ of the diameter. 

217. How do you find the side of a square equal in area 
to any given surface? 

By extracting the square root of the given surface. 

218. How do we measure lumber? 

Multiply the length in feet by the product of the breadth 
and thickness, both in inches, and divide the result by 12. 

219. How do we find the solid contents of a stick of round 
timber? 

By multiplying the length by ^ the mean circumference. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 263 

220. What is gauging? 

The process of finding the contents or capacity of casks, 
barrels, etc. 

221. How do we find the contents of casks?- 

Multiply the square of the mean diameter by the length, 
and this product by .0034 to obtain the wine gallons. Using 
the decimal .0028 will give us the beer gallons. 

222. Define the metric system of measurement. 

The metric system is a decimal system of weights and 
measures, having the metre for the base or unit. 

223. What is the measure of the metre in inches? 
It measures 39.3708 inches. 

224. From what was the metre obtained? 

It is one ten-millionth part of a quadrant of the earth's 
meridian. 

Illustration: A meridian passing around the earth and 
through each pole is about 24,750 miles long, and ^ of it 
would be 6187.5 miles. Reduced to feet by multiplying 
by 5,280, this product divided by 10,000,000 would give 
39.37 inches, the length of a meter. 

TEST EXAMPLES. 

[The following examples embody a great variety of practical principles, 
and have been selected especially to test the knowledge of the student.] 

1. One gentleman meeting another, and inquiring the 
time past 12 o'clock, received for an answer: \^ of the time 
from now to midnight ; what o'clock in the afternoon was it ? 
Ans. 5 h. 40 m. 

2. Where shall a pole 60 feet high be broken, that the 
top may rest on the ground 20 feet from the stump? Ans. 

26|. 



264 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

3. Suppose a man owes $1,000. What sum shall he pay 
yearly so as to cancel the debt, principal and interest, at 
the end of three years, reckoning it at 6 per cent, simple 
interest? Ans. $371-^9- 

4. A gentleman has a garden 400 feet long and 300 feet 
wide which he would raise 9 inches higher by means of the 
earth to be dug out of a ditch that goes around it. To what 
depth must the ditch be dug, supposing its breadth to be 
everywhere 6 feet? Ans. lO-f-^-^. 

5. Divide $1,000 among A, B and C, so that A may have 
$156 more than B, and B $62 less than C. Ans. A, $4i6f ; 
B, $2601 ; C, $322f. 

6. If 21 cows eat up 8 acres of grass in 6 weeks, and 18 
cows eat up the same in 9 weeks, how many cows will it 
maintain for 18 weeks, if the grass grow uniformly during 
that time? Ans. 15 cows. 

7. Required the thickness of the lead of a pipe 1^ inch 
bore, which weighs 16 lbs., a yard in length, a cubic 
foot of lead weighing 11,325 oz. avoirdupois. Ans. 2.329-f- 
in. 

8. If a cubic foot of brass were drawn into wire -^ of an 
inch in diameter, required the length of the wire, suppos- 
ing no loss in the metal. Ans. 55 m., 4 fur., 104 yds., 2 ft., 

4 in.+. 

9. Divide $25 between 2 boys in such a proportion that, 
after it is divided, A shall have ^ more than B. Ans. A, 
$15; B, $10. 

10. A makes B a present of $100, on condition that he 
shall expend it in cows, sheep, and geese; cows at $10 each, 
sheep at $1, and geese at i6f cents, so as to have just lOO 
in the whole. How many must he purchase of each? Ans. 

5 cows, 41 sheep, and 54 geese, 

11. If ^ of 6 be 3, what will | of 20 be? Ans. 7^. 

12. How long must I keep $300 to balance the use of 
$500, which I lent a friend 4 months? Ans. 6f months. 

13. If 800 men have provisions for 2 months, how many 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 265 

must leave that the remainder may subsist 5 months on the 
same? Ans. 480. 

14. A hare, running 36 rods a minute, has 57 rods the 
start of a dog; how far must the dog run to overtake him, 
running 40 rods per minute? Ans. 570 rods. 

15. The hour and minute hands of a watch are together 
at 12 o'clock; when are they next together? Ans. i hr., 5m., 
27t^s. 

16. If a pole be ^ in the mud, f in the water, and 6 feet 
out of the water, what is its length ? Ans. 90 feet. 

17. A man being asked how many geese he had, replied: 
If I had ^ as many as I now have, and 2^ geese more, I 
should have 100; how many had he? Ans. 65. 

18. The head of a fish is 4 feet long, the tail as long as the 
head and ^ the length of the body, the body as long as the 
head and tail; what is the length of the fish? Ans. 32 
feet. 

19. A and B can build a wall in 4 days, B and C in 6 
days, A and C in 5 days; required the time if they work 
together. Ans. 3-^ days. 

20. A man left his two sons, one 14, the other 18 years 
old, $1,000, so divided that their shares, being put at 6 
per cent, interest, should be equal when each should be 
21 years old; what was the share of each? Ans. $546.- 

153+ ; $453,846+. 

21. A gentleman divided his fortune among his sons, giv- 
ing A $9 as often as B $5, and C $3 as often as B $7: 
C received $7,442.10^; what was the whole estate? Ans. 

$56,063.8571. 

22. Three horses, belonging to 3 men, do work to the 
amount of $26.45 ; A and B's horses are supposed to do f 
of the work, A and C's -^, B and C's ^f, on which sup- 
position the owners are paid proportionately; what does 
each receive? Ans. A, $11.50; B, $5.75; C, $9.20. 

23. A gay fellow spent f of his fortune, after which he 
gave $7,260 for a commission, and continued his profusion 



266 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

till he had only $2,178 left, which was f of what he had 
after purchasing his commission; what was his fortune? 
Ans. $18,295.20. 

24. A general, placing his army in a square, had 231 men 
left, which number was not enough by 44 to enable him to 
add another to each side; how many men in the army? Ans. 
19,000. 

25. Suppose that a man stands 80 feet from a steeple, 
that a line to him from the top of the steeple is 100 feet 
long, and that the spire is three times as high as the steeple ; 
what is the length of a line reaching from the top of the 
spire to the man? Ans. 197 feet, nearly. 

26. How many acres in a square field measuring 70.71 
rods between the opposite corners? Ans. I5f acres. 

27. How long does it take sound to travel 120 miles? 
Ans. 9 m. 14 sec.-(- 

28. A laborer dug a cellar, the length of which was 
2 times the width, and the width 3 times the depth; he 
removed 144 cubic yards of earth; what was the length? 
Ans. 36 feet. 

29. A owes B $750, due in 8 months, but receiving $300 
ready money, he extends the time of pajang the remainder, 
so that B shall lose nothing; when was it paid? Ans. i yr., 
I mo., 10 days. 

30. The sum of two numbers is 266f, and the product 
of the greater multiplied by 3 equals the product of the less 
multiplied by 5; what are the numbers? Ans. lOO, and 
i66f. 

31. A pifrk 10 rods square is surrounded by a walk which 
occupies -^^ of the whole park; what is its width? Ans. 
8 ft. 3 in. 

32. How many square inches of leather will cover a 
ball 3^ inches in diameter? Ans. 38^ sq. inches. 

33. How many solid inches in a globe 7 inches in diam- 
eter? Ans. I79f solid inches. 

34. What are the solid contents of a pyramid, the base 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 267 

of which is 4 feet square and the perpendicular height 
9 feet? Ans. 48 soh'd feet. 

35. What are the solid contents of a stick of timber 18 
feet long, one end of which is 9 inches square and the 
other end 4 inches square, uniformly diminishing through- 
out the whole length? Ans. 5 solid feet, 936 solid inches. 

36. What are the solid contents of a round log of wood 
36 feet long, 1.6 feet in diameter at one end, and dimin- 
ishing gradually to a diameter of .9 of a foot at the other? 
Ans. 45.333+ solid feet. 

37. How many gallons of wine will a cask contain, the 
head diameter of which is 25 inches, and the bung diameter 
31 inches, and the length 36 inches? Ans. 102.93-f- gallons. 

38. Two men carry a kettle weighing 200 pounds; the 
kettle is suspended on a pole, the bale being 2 feet 6 inches 
from the hands of one, and 3 feet 4 inches from the hands of 
the other ; how many pounds does each bear ? 

. ( I147 pounds. 
I 854 pounds. 

39. If a triangular piece of land 30 rods in length, be 20 
rods wide at one end and comes to a point at the other, what 
number of square rods does it contain ? Ans. 300. 

40. There are two globes; one of them is i foot in diam- 
eter, and the other 40 feet in diameter; how many of the 
smaller globes would it take to make one of the larger? 
Ans. 64,(X>o. 

41. What is the area of a circle I mile in circumference? 
Ans. 50 a. 3 r. 28.7399+ r. 

42. A conical stack of hay is 20 feet high, and its base 
15 feet in diameter; what is its weight, allowing 5 lbs. to a 
cubic foot? Ans. 5,890.5 lbs. 

43. How many bushels will a cubical bin contain whose 
sides are 9 feet? Ans. 585.80357 bushels. 

44. How many hogsheads will a cylindrical cistern lO 
feet deep and 6^ feet in diameter contain? Ans. 39.401 hhds. 

45. How far from the end of a stick of timber 30 feet 



2 68 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

long, of equal size from end to end, must a lever be placed 
so that 3 men, 2 at the lever and i at the end of the stick, 
may each carry ^ of its M^eight? Ans. 7^ feet. 

46. If 100 eggs are placed in a straight line a rod apart, 
how many miles must a person travel to bring them one 
by one to a basket placed a rod from the first egg? Ans. 
31 m. 180 r. 

47. Said A to B: if I take one of your bags I shall have 
twice as many as you, and if I give you one of mine, we 
shall have an equal number. Ans. 5 and 7. 

48. Divide $1,000 between A, B, and C, and give A $120 
more than C, and C $95 more than B. Ans. $2.30 B's, 
$325 C's, $445 A's. 

49. A man's desk was robbed three nights in succession; 
the first night, half the number of dollars was taken and 
half a dollar more; the second, half the remainder was taken 
and half a dollar more; the third night, half of what was 
then left and half a dollar more, when it was found he had 
$50 left; how much had he at first? Ans. $407. 

50. A owns f and B yV °^ ^ ship; A's share is worth 
$10,000 more than B's; what is the value of the ship? Ans. 
$32,000. 

51. A man gave his oldest son ^ of his property less $50; 
to the second he gave ^, and to the youngest he gave the 
remainder, which was ^ less $10; what was the amount of 
his property? Ans. $360. 

52. What number is that, y\ and | of which being multi- 
plied together, will produce the number itself? Ans. 20. 

53. The difference of two numbers is 53, and the differ- 
ence of their squares is 10,759; what are the numbers? Ans. 
75 and 128. 

54. The sum of two numbers is 120, and the difference 
of their squares is 4,800; what are the numbers? Ans, 40 
and 80. 

55. The diagonal of a square field is 120 rods; what is its 
area? Ans. 7,200 rods. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 



269 



56. Find the side of the greatest square beam which can 
be hewn from a log 5 feet in diameter. Ans. 3-535519 feet. 

57. A man wished to tie his horse by a rope so that he 
could feed on just an acre of ground; how long must the 
rope be? Jns. 7.13645 rods. 

58. What number is that |- of which exceeds f of It by 
45 ? Ans. 600. 

59. At what discount must I buy stocks, so that by sell- 
ing at 2 per cent, premium I may gain 20 per cent, on my 
investment? Ans. 15 per cent. 

60. A debt was paid with interest August 18, 1857; had 
it been paid May 12, 1859, there would have been due $26 
more; what was the original debt? Ans. $250. 

61. Find the surface of a sphere whose solidity Is 65.45 
cubic inches. Ans. 78.54 square Inches. 

62. A man has a pile of wood 33 feet 9 Inches long, 20 
feet wide, and 5 feet high; If It Is piled in a cubical form, 
how high will It be? Ans. IS feet. 

63. Two merchants had each 40 gallons of wine at $1.80 
a gallon; they wished to make It worth $i.20 a gallon; one 
pours In water, the other alcohol at 40 cents a gallon; 
how many more gallons In one mixture than in the other? 
Ans. 10 gallons. 

64. A contributed $1,400, B $2,200, C $1,875. B gained 
$27.30 more than C; required the total gain. Ans. $459.90. 

65. A owes B $2,500 due In 6 months; B wishes him to 
pay part now and retain the remainder 15 months; how 
much should he pay now? Ans. $1,500. 

66. After 5 gallons of water had been added to 45 gal- 
lons of pure wine, the mixture was worth $1.26 per gallon; 
what was the pure wine worth per gallon? Ans. $1.40. 

67. At 10 per cent, premium, what bill of exchange on 
London can be bought for $3.30? Ans. £67 los. 

68. Wliat debt due in 4 months, together with $600 due 
In 9 months, could be paid in 7 months, without loss to 
either? Ans. $400. 



270 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

69. A cistern is f full of water; after 35 gallons are 
taken out it is f full; how many gallons will it contain? 
Ans. 120. 

70. I was married at the age of 21 ; if I live 19 years 
longer I shall have been married 60 years; what is my age? 
Ans. 62 years. 

71. A boat goes 16^ miles an hour down stream, and 10 
miles an hour up stream; if it takes 22^ hours longer in 
coming up than going down, how far down did it go? 
Ans. 585 miles. 

72. I bought a horse for $156 due in 8 months, and sold 
him at once for $180; find the gain per cent., interest 4^ 
per cent. Ans. i^\^ per cent. 

73. After spending 25 per cent, of my money, and 25 per 
cent, of the remainder, I had left $675 ; what had I at first? 
Ans. $1,200. 

74. A man sold a house at 22 per cent, loss, losing $748 ; 
what did he receive for it? Ans. $2,652. 

75. To carry 7 t. 10 cwt. 25 miles costs $18.75 ; how much 
can be carried 125 miles for $131.25? Ans. lO t. 10 cwt. 

76. The base of a right-angled triangle is 42 feet, its 
hypotenuse 58; find the area. Ans. 840 square feet. 

77. At $1.47 a bushel, what cost 17 bushels, 3 pecks, 2 
quarts, i pint of fruit? Ans. $26.21. 

78. A boy hired to a mechanic for 20 weeks on condition 
that he should receive $20 and a coat. At the end of 
12 weeks the boy quit work, when it was found that he 
was entitled to $9 and the coat; what was the value of the 
coat? Ans. $7.50. 

79. A farmer sold 34 bushels of corn and 56 bushels of 
barley for $63.10, receiving 35 cents a bushel more for the 
barley than for the corn; what was the price of each per 
bushel? Ans. 48^ cents, price of corn; 83:| cents, price of 
barley. 

80. Sold ^ of a lot of lumber for what f of it cost ; what 
per cent, was gained on the part sold? Ans. 25 per cent. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 271 

81. A, B and C can do a job of work in 12 days, C can do 
it in 24 days, and A in 34 days; in what time can B do it 
alone? Ans. 8if days. 

82. Of what principal is $1.50 the compound interest for 
2 years at 7 per cent.? Ans. $1,035,196-!-. 

83. A man in Buffalo purchased a draft on St. Paul, Min- 
nesota, for $5,320, drawn at 60 days, paying $5,141.78; 
what was the cost of exchange? Jns. 2^ per cent. 

84. What is the difference between half a solid foot and a 
solid half foot? Jns. 648 cubic inches. 

85. The bank discount of a certain sum for 6 months 
was $188.49; what would have been the true discount? 
Jns. $180. 

86. The time since noon is ^ of the time to 4 o'clock 
P.M.; what is the time? Jns. 10 minutes past i o'clock p.m. 

87. A man gave f of an estate to A, f of the remainder to 
B, and the balance to C, who received $685 less than A; 
required the value of the estate. Jns. $2,740. 

88. Bought some lemons for $7.20; had I received 30 
more, each would have cost f as much; how many did I 
buy? Jns. 90. 

89. The three sides of a triangle are j6, 63 and 65; find 
the area. Jns. 504. 

90. A man having oranges at 4 cents each and apples at 
2 for I cent, gained 20 per cent, by selling 5 dozen for $2.04 ; 
how many of each did he sell? Jns. 40 oranges, 20 apples. 

91. Interest $67.50, amount $217.50, time 5 years 7 
months 15 days; required the rate. Jns. 8 per cent. 

92. A horse was tied by a rope 52 feet long, fastened 
to the top of a stake 20 feet high; over what area can he 
graze? Jns. 26.586-fP. 

93. How many pencils must be bought for $1.00 so that 
20 per cent, may be gained by selling them 4 for i cent? 
Jns. 480. 

94. The square root of a certain number is 4,096; what 
is the cube root of the same number? Jns. 256. 



272 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

95. The first term of an arithmetical series is 17, the 
common difference 6, the last term 161 ; how many terms 
are there? Ans. 25. 

96. A prism is 6 feet 4 inches high, on a base 3 feet 9 
inches square; find the solidity. Ans. 89 cubic feet, 108 
cubic inches. 

97. For a note of $340, discounted at 6 per cent., a bank 
paid $336.43; how many days had the note to run? Ans. 
60 days. 

98. If to a certain number its half be added, and the 
sum subtracted from 1,000, the remainder will be ten 
greater than the number itself; what is the number? Ans. 
396. 

99. What is the area of a circle whose diameter is i foot 
I inch? Ans. 132.7326 square inches. 

100. A's income is 16 per cent, of his capital; he is taxed 
2^ per cent, of his income, and pays $26.04; what is his 
capital? Ans. $6,510. 

1 01. The expense of building a public bridge was 
$1,260.52, which was defrayed by a tax upon the property 
of the town. The rate of taxation was 3^ mills on $i, and 
the collector's commission was 3^ per cent. ; what was the 
valuation of the property? Ans. $401,920. 

102. A man received $33.25 interest on a sum of money 
loaned 5 years previous at 7 per cent. ; what was the sum 
lent? Ans. $95. 

103. A house that cost $8,250, rents for $750 a year; the 
insurance is -^^ per cent, and repairs ^ per cent, every year; 
what rate of interest does it pay? A7is. 8 per cent, 

104. Bought $860 bank stock at 4 per cent, advance; 
sold at a discount of 2^ per cent.; find the loss. Ans. 
$55.90. 

105. What is the difference between the true and the 
bank discount of $1,375.50 for 60 days, at 6 per cent.? Ans. 
$0.14. 

106. What per cent, will be gained by buying apples at 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 



273 



the rate of 3 for i cent, and selling them at 3 cents each? 
Ans. 800 per cent. 

107. Find two numbers whose difference equals 1,427, 
and f of the first equal f of the second. Ans. 12,843 and 
11,416. 

108. Find the solid contents of a globe whose diameter 
is I foot 3 inches. Ans. I cubic foot, 39.15 cubic inches. 

109. A, B and C bought a farm for $21,250, of which A 
paid $712 more than B, and $3,551 less than C; what sum 
did each pay? Ans. A, $6,137 ; B, $5,425 ; C, $9,688. 

no. At what time between 5 and 6 o'clock is the min- 
ute hand 14 minutes behind the hour hand? Ans. 12 minutes 
after 5 o'clock. 

111. What is the present worth of a debt due in 4 years 

8 months 10 daj^s, the true discount, at 6 per cent., being 
$169? Ans. $600. 

112. Divide $2,331 among A, B, and C, in the ratio of ^, 
1, I-. Ans. A, $945 ; B, $756; C, $630. 

113. From a piece of ground 30 rods wide and 50 rods 
long, a lot 25 feet wide and 100 feet long was sold for $275 ; 
find the value of the remainder at the same rate. Ans. 
$44,646.25. 

114. A man bought copper at 27 cents a pound; it lost 
2 per cent, in casting; at what price per pound must he 
sell the castings to gain 47 per cent.? Ans. 40 J cents per 
pound. 

115. A man bought land at $30 an acre; how much must 
he ask an acre, that he may abate 25 per cent, from his former 
asking price and still make 20 per cent, on the purchase 
money? Ans. $48. 

116. A machinist sold 24 grain drills for $125 each; on 
one half of them he gained 25 per cent., and on the remain- 
der he lost 25 per cent. ; did he gain or lose on the whole, 
and how much? Ans. $200 lost. 

117. A cistern has three pipes; the first will empty it in 

9 hours; the other two are equal to each other in size; if all 



2 74 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

three are left open the cistern will be filled in 6 hours; how 
long would it take the second or third alone to fill it? Ans. 
7^ hours. 

1 1 8. If 3 gallons of brandy, at $3 a gallon, and 5 quarts 
of alcohol, at 40 cents a gallon, be mixed with ^ gallon of 
water, for what must the mixture be sold a gallon to gain 
37 per cent. ? Ans. $2.74. 

119. Area of a circle 19,635 square feet; find the radius. 
Ans. 2 feet 6 inches. 

120. Debt $245, discount $105, rate 8 per cent.; find 
the time. Ans. 9 years, 4 months, 15 days. 

121. The parallel sides of a trapezoid are 37^ feet and 
38^ feet, and are 16^ feet apart; find the area. Ans. 627 
square feet. 

122. A horse costing $156.25 was sold for $256.25; what 
per cent, was gained? Ans. 64 per cent. 

123. Principal 336, rate 10 per cent., amount $560; find 
the time. Ans. 6 years, 8 months. 

124. A can do a piece of work in 6 days, A and B can 
do it in 3f days, and A, B and C in 2f days; how long would 
it take A and C to do it? Ans. 4 days. 

125. To a certain number its fifth was added, and one- 
fifth of the result being added to the original number gave 
6,076; find the number. Ans. 4,900. 

126. Find the area of a triangle whose sides are 10, 10^ 
and 14I. Ans. 52^. 

127. What number is that whose eighth exceeds its tenth 
by 14 less than its twelfth? Ans. 240. 

128. What sum must I lend for 5 years, 6 months, at 8 
per cent., to receive on settlement $957.24? Ans. $664.75. 

129. I gave A -^-^ of my money, and B y^g- of the re- 
mainder; if B received 18 cents more than A, how much 
had I at first? Ans. $36.48. 

130. Sold for a man 320 acres of land at $2.56^ per acre, 
and sent him $779; what per cent, commission did I charge? 
Ans. 5 per cent. 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 275 

131. A man can do a piece of work in 45 days; if his son 
can work f as fast, how long will it take both to do it? Ans. 
27 days. 

132. Divide $5,000 between A and B, so that A's share 
may be $400 less than twice B's. Ans. A's, $3,200; B's, 
$1,800. 

133. Mix 2^ pints at 37 cents a pint, with 7 pints at 74 
cents, and find the value of i pint of the mixture. Ans. 65 
cents per pint. 

134. A globe 6 inches in diameter weighs 64 pounds; 
what will be the weight of another globe of the same 
material, the diameter being i foot 9 inches? Ans. i t., 
7 cwt., I qr., 19 lbs. 

135. Find the bank discount of a note of $825,50, pay- 
able in 3 months, rate at 6 per cent. Ans. $12.79. 

136. If -J of a number be subtracted from ^ of the num- 
ber, the remainder will be 6 less than ^ of the number; 
what is the number? Ans. 180. 

137. What must be paid for a draft on London for 
£256 los, at 10 per cent, premium? Ans. $1,254. 

138. What is the equated time on the following debts: 
$180 due in 4 months, $540 due in 7 months, $280 due in 
10 months? Ans. 7 months and 9 days. 

139. If a certain number be diminished by its -J, and 
f of the remainder be added to the first number, the sum 
will be 18.24; required the number. Ans. 11.52. 

140. If 2 ounces of silver, worth $1.10 an ounce, are 
melted with 2 ounces of gold, worth 94 cents a pwt., what 
is the compound worth per ounce? Ans. $9.95. 

141. Two men are 90 miles apart and travel towards 
each other, A starting i hour before B; A goes 9 miles 
in 2 hours, B 1 1 miles in 4 hours ; how far will each travel 
before they meet? Ans. A 57ff miles, B 32ff miles. 

142. What date is 7 months 15 days before July 15th, 
1 861? Ans. November 30, i860. 



276 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

143. B)^ selling at 33 cents a pound twice as much is 
gained as by selling at 29 cents a pound; what per cent, is 
gained by selling at 32 cents a pound? Ans. 28 per cent. 

144. What per cent, of | is f ? Ans. 88|. 

145. In how many years will the error of the Julian 
Calendar involve the loss of a day? Ans. 1284 years. 

146. At what time between 12 and I o'clock do the hour 
and minute hands of a clock point in directions exactly 
opposite? Ans. 12 o'clock 32^^- minutes. 

147. Suppose A, B and C to start from the same point 
and to travel in the same direction round a circular island 
73 miles in distance, A at the rate of 6, B of 10 and C of 
16 miles per day; in what time will they be next together? 
Ans. 36^ days. 

148. A blacksmith agreed to shoe a horse for i mill for 
the first nail in his shoe, 2 mills for the second nail, and so 
on; the shoes contain 32 nails; how much was he to receive? 
Ans. $42,949,672.95. 

149. Sold a horse for $37.05, losing 81 per cent.; what 
was the loss? /^«5. $157.95. 

150. The mainmast of a ship is 95 feet long, the diam- 
eter of the base is 3^^ feet, that of the top 2-| feet; what 
is its solidity? Ans. 677.73475 feet. 

151. A club spent £2 12s. id.; on settling, each paid as 
many pence as there were individuals in the party; how 
many were there in the party? Ans. 25 persons. 

152. A grocer divided a barrel of flour into two parts so 
that the smaller contained f as much as the other; how 
many pounds were there in each? Ans. 78f pounds, Ii7f 
pounds. 

153. A man having spent ^ and |- of his money, had 
£48! left; how much had he at first? Ans. £292. 

154. If I of a ton of chalk cost £f, what will -J of a ton 
cost? Ans. £1. 

155. A man was hired 50 days, receiving 75 cents for 



WRITTEN ARITHMETIC. 



277 



every day he worked, and forfeiting 25 cents for every day 
he was idle; he received $27.50; how many days did he 
work? Ans. 40 days. 

156. A gentleman paid $18.90 among his laborers; to 
each boy 6 cents, to each woman 8 cents, and to each man 
16 cents; there were three women for each boy, and two 
men for each woman; how many men were there? Ans. 90. 

157. A man paid $82.50 for a sheep, a cow, and a yoke 
of oxen; for the cow 8 times, for the oxen 24 times as 
much as for the sheep; what did he pay for each? Ans. 
$2.50, $20, and $60. 

158. A, B and C commence trade with $3,053.25, and 
gain $610.65; A's stock -j- B's is to B's -(- C's, as 5 to 7; 
and C's stock — B's is to C's ^ B's, as i to 7; what is 
each one's part of the gain? Ans. A's gain, $135.70; B's 
$203.55; C's $271.40. 

159. There is a windlass, the wheel of which is 60 inches 
in diameter, and the axle, around which the rope coils, is 
6 inches in diameter; how many pounds on the axle will be 
balanced by 240 pounds at the wheel? Ans. 2,400 pounds. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



BOOKKEEPING. 



1. What ts bookkeeping? 

Bookkeeping is the art of recording business transactions 
in a systematic manper to show the true condition of a 
business. It is the science of accounts. 

2. What is a business transaction? 

A business transaction is, strictly, an exchange -of equa? 
▼aiues, or regarded as such. 

3. What is a debtor? 

A debtor is one who receives values. 

4. What is a creditor? 

A creditor is one from whom value is received. 

5. State what an account is. 

An account is a collection of all debits and credits 
involved in any business transaction, arranged under some 
title or heading. 

6. Define debits and credits. 

Debits are entries against debtors. Credits are entries 
in favor of creditors. 

7. What is the proper title for an account? 

It is the name by which the person or thing is known. 

279 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 



Day Book 
Lowell^ Mass., Oct. i, 1897. 



I 


Smith, Brown & Co., 

By Merchandise, per Invoice, 


Cr. 


4000 














2 


A. B. COMSTOCK, 

To 10 yards Broadcloth @ $5.00, 
" Linings, etc., 


Dr. 

$50.00 
10.00 


60 








5 






3 


E. E. Adams, 

To I yard Satin 
" Trimmings, 

8 ~ 


Dr. 

$2.00 
1.50 


3 






5^ 


4 

1 

4 


S. G. Ripley, 

To 10 yards Cloth @ $4.00, 
" 50 " Cambric @ 13c., 
" 20 " Cambric @ 1 2C., 
"15 " Drilling @ 25c., 
" 30 " Satine @ 33c., 
" 6 " Novelty Goods @ 75c., 

Cr. 

By Cash, 


Dr. 

$40.00 
6.50 
2.40 

3-75 
9.90 

4-5° 


67 
50 






05 


4 


S. G. Ripley, 

By Cash on Account, 


Cr. 


7 


5C' 



BOOKKEEPING. 



281 



Day Book — Continued 



'4- 



A. B. COMSTOCK, 

To 10 yards Cheviot @ $1.63, 
" 25 " Sheeting @ 12c., 
" 20 " Novelty Goods ® 20c., 



17 



Smith, BRovi^N & Co., 
To Cash on Account, 



A. B. COMSTOCK, 

By Cash on Account, 



27- 



E. E. Adams, 

To 13 yards French Cambric @ 25c., 
" 14 " Silk @ $1,50, 
" Trimmings, 



Dr. 

516.30 

3.00 

4.00 



Dr. 



A/ 
S. G. Ripley, 




Dr. 


To 15 yards White Duck @ 


2CC., 


$3.00 


" 10 " Brown do. @ 


30c., 


3.00 


" 6 pairs Hose @ 75c., 




4-50 




A. B. COMSTOCK, 




Dr. 


To 6 yards Drilling @ 25c., 




$1.50 


" I Cap, 




1. 00 


" I pair Hose, 
_ -yn — — «_. 




0.7S 





Cr. 



Dr. 

$3-25 
21.00 
1 0.00 



_3o_ 

E. E. Adams, 

By Cash in full of Account, 



Cr. 



23 



25 



34 



34 



30 



50 



2S 



25 



25 



283 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

8. How many and what sides has an account! 

Two sides, the left hand or debit side, and the right 
hand or credit side. 

9. What does each side contain ? 

The debit side contains the sums for which the account 
has become indebted to the business. The credit side 
contains the sums for which the business has become 
indebted to the account. 

10. IVhat does each side show! 

The debit side shows resources and losses. The credit 
side shows liabilities and gains. 

11. What are resources, assets, or effects! 

Property belonging to a person, firm or corporation is 
thus termed according to certain conditions. 

12. What are liabilities! 

All the debts and obligations of a business or corporation, 

13. What is the balance of an account! 
The difference between the two sides. 

14. If the balance is on the debit side, what is shown! 
Either a resource or a loss. 

15. If the balance is on the credit side^ what is shown! 
Either a liability or a gain. 

16. How are accounts classified! 

As real or financial, representative or business. 

17. Define real accounts. 

Real accounts are those which represent resources, 01 
liabilites, such as cash, notes receivable, notes payable; 
and personal accounts. 



BOOKKEEPING. 



283 



18. Define representative accounts. 

Representative accounts are those that represent gains 
or losses, as merchandise, real estate, etc. 

19. What two systems of bookkeeping are there i 
Single entry and double entry. 

20. What advajitage has one over the other? 

The main distinction is that while in single entry a 
record is kept of resources and liabilities, in double entry, 
a similar and additional record is kept of gains and losses. 
In single entry an account is kept with but one party to 
the transaction, either the debtor or creditor. In double 
entry an account is kept with both parties. 

21. What books are necessary in single entry 1 
Day book, journal, cash book, and ledger. 

22. For what is the day book used? 

To record business transactions as they occur. 

23. What particulars of a business transaction should be 
recorded? 

The date, the transaction, the name of the person, firm 
or corporation, nature of payment, items with price. 

24. Illustrate. 

June I, 1898, Bought of John Arms, for my note at 60 
days, 100 bbls. flour @ $5. 

25. What will be shown at any time by a cash book properly 
balanced? 

The amount of cash on hand. 

26. How often, in practice, should the cash balance be 
verified? 

At the close of each business day. 

27. If the cash book is correctly kept, how will the debit and 
credit sides compare ? 

The debit side will usually exceed the credit side. If 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 



tUD 



^' 









o 
o 
o 


o 
o 
o 


o 
o 
o 


II 


By Merchandise, 
By Balance, 


- 


- 


0\ o 

<» O 


> 

o 






1 


Q O 

8 8 

^4 M 


o 
o 
o 




II 


To Cash, 
•• Balance, 


J^ o 

w CO 




ON o • 

<2 o * 







4 











^ 




N « 


i 


By Cash, 
" Balance, 


t^ o 

N to 












O "^ 
CO fl 




to 


o to to 


00 


^ 


X w N 


To Merchandise, 

M M 

To Balance, 




M 


1 g = ' 




> 

o 

1? 



BOOKKEEPING. 



285 



Y). 








1 


ro '^ 


a) 


tti 


hO 




'3 


f^ 
















LO 
LO N 


LO 




fO ■* 








H N 



00 Q 



»o 

LO 


LO 
LO 




t^ C r>. 
LO N t-> 






« « II 


By Cash, 
" Balance, 


00 

h. CO 




<2 - - 






LO 
10 


LO 
LO 


LO 








! 

M 




« M II 


To Merchandise, 
To Balance, 


00 t^ 


- 


<2 ■• 




> 

IS 



286 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

the credit exceeds the debit it shows that the account at 
the bank has been overdrawn, or that some account on the 
debit side has been omitted, or that more has been entered 
on the credit side than has been paid out. 

28. Give particulars as to use of ledger. 

The ledger is the final book of entry. It contains a 
record of all the debits and credits in every business trans- 
action. These debits and credits are arranged under 
appropriate heads, and give, in a condensed form, a state- 
ment of financial standing, 

29. Give abbreviations used in bookkeeping for the follow- 
ing terms: at, account, debtor, creditor, merchandise^ the same. 

@, a/c, Dr., Cr., Mdse., Do. or ditto. 

30. How is an account closed? 

An account is closed when its debtor and creditor sides 
are made equal in amount. 

31. What is the object of closing an account? 

To keep it from becoming too long, or too large, and 
also, when there is a balance, to separate it from the rest 
of the account, so that when it is closed, and the balance 
brought down, the account may begin again with but one 
sum. 

32. Rule paper in proper form for day book, cash book^ 
and ledger, single entry. Make entries of the following items, 
and balance cash book and ledger. 

Lowell, Mass., Oct. i, 1897. Invested cash, $2,500. 
Paid for advertising, $8. Bought of Smith, Brown & Co., 
New York, on account, merchandise, per invoice, $4,000. 
Received cash for sales this day, $115.25. 

Oct. 4. Sold A. B. Comstock, on account, 10 yards 
broadcloth @ $5; linings, buttons, etc., $10. Paid for 
postage, $2.50. 

Oct. 5. Sold E. E. Adams, on account, one yard satin, 



BOOKKEEPING. 



287 



^2; trimmings, ^1.50, Received cash for sales this day, 
^88.75. 

Oct. 8. Sold S. G. Ripley, 10 yards cloth @ <^4; 50 
yards cambric @ 13 cents; 20 yards cambric @ 12 cents; 
15 yards drilling @ 25 cents; 30 yards satine @ 33 cents; 
6 yards novelty cloth @ 75 cents. Received cash on 
account, ^50. 

Oct. 10. Paid cash for coal, ^10. S. G. Ripley paid 
cash on account $7.50. 

Oct. 14. Sold A. B. Comstock, on account, 10 yards 
black cheviot @ ^1.63; 25 yards sheeting @ 12 cents; 
20 yards novelty goods @ 20 cents. Paid cash for postage, 

Oct. 17. Paid Smith, Brown & Co., on account, $2,000. 
Sold S. G. Ripley, on account, 15 yards white duck @ 20 
cents; 10 yards brown do. @ 30 cents; 6 pairs hose @ 75 
cents. 

Oct. 22. Sold A. B. Comstock, on account, 6 yards 
drilling @ 25 cents; i cap, %\\ i pair hose, 75 cents. 
Paid cash for rent, $50. 

Oct. 27. Received cash, on account, of A. B. Comstock, 
^25. Sold E. E. Adams, on account, 13 yards cloth @ 25 
cents; 14 yards silk @ $1.50; trimmings, $10. 

Oct. 30. Received o E. E. Adams cash, to balance 
account, % 

33. What books are used in double entry 1 

Day book, journal, ledger, cash book, sales book, invoice 
book, bill book, pass book, and time book. 

34. What is the use of the joui-naii 

It is the intermediate book (but usually united with the 
journal) between the day book and the ledger. It contains 
a classified list of all debits and credits previously recorded 
in the day book. Its use is to facilitate the transfer oi 
debits and credits to the ledo-er. 



2 88 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

35. What term is applied to classifying debts and credits'^ 
Journalizing. 

36. What is posting? 

The transferring of the debits and credits of the journal, 
cash book, etc., to the ledger. 

37. What is the use of the invoice book? 

To record goods bought, from whom purchased, and on 
what terms. 

38. What does the sales book contain ? 

A record of all merchandise sold, and the terms of the 
sale. 

39. JF'or what is a bill or note book used? 

To record all notes received and acceptances issued to 
others, by the business. 

40. What is gain ? 

There is gain when property produces more than it costs. 

41. What is loss? 

There is loss when property costs more than it produces. 

42. If the debits and credits of a ledger agree is it positive 
proof of the correctness of the work? 

It is not. The items may have been posted to wrong 
accounts, or the debits and credits may have been reversed, 
and still, the work, though wrong, may balance. 

43. What is a notes ?-eceivable account? 

An account of notes and bills due the firm. 

44. What is a notes payable account? 

An account of notes and bills issued to other parties by 
the firm. 

45. What is merchandise? 

Goods, wares, or anything bought and sold. 



BOOKKEEPING. 289 

46. What are personal accounts ? 

Accounts with persons, firms, or corporations. 

47. What is an investment! 

A certain amount of money, or its equivalent in property, 
put into a business. 

48. What is a net investments 

It is the amount of the investment after withdrawals 
have been made. If no withdrawals it is the total invest- 
ment 

49. Define capital. 

Capital is the whole investment of a business or of an 
individual. 

50. What is insolvency! 

It is the condition of a business that cannot pay its 
debts. The liabilities exceed the resources. 

51. Formulate a general rule for determining the debits and 
credits in any business transaction. 

Debit whatever is received, and credit whatever is given 
out, or sold. This is the law of bookkeeping. 

52. When should the proprietor of a business be debited^ and 
when credited! 

He should be debited for what he draws from the 
business, and for his share of the losses. He should be 
credited for investments, when made, and for his share of 
the gain. 

53. When should cash account be debited, and when 
credited? 

It should be debited for all money received, and credited 
for all money paid out. 

54. When should notes receivable account be debited^ and 
when credited! 

It should be debited for the notes, drafts, etc., 



290 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

received, and credited when they are paid, or otherwise 
disposed of. 

55. When should notes payable account be debited^ and 
when credited"} 

It should be debited for all notes and acceptances 
redeemed, and credited when they are issued. 

56. Whefi should merchandise be debited^ and when credited i 
Debit merchandise bought; credit what it produces. 

57. Why are all persons whom the firm owes, credited! 
To show how much the firm owes each person; but the 

merchandise or thing received is debited. 

58. Why is all property sold, credited'! 
To show how much is sold. 

59. Why is cash, deposited or paid out, credited! 
To show how much is paid out. 

60. Why are all gains credited under appropriate titles! 
To show the amount gained.* 

61. How are resources shown on the ledger! 

By an excess of the debit side of financial accounts. 

62. How are liabilities shown on the ledger! 

By an excess of the credit side of financial accounts. 

63. How are gains shown on the ledger! 

By an excess of the credit side of business accounts, 

64. How are losses shown on the ledger! 

By an excess of the debit side of business accounts. 

65. How ascertain the value of merchandise unsold! 
By taking an inventory. 

*Every account of a transaction is both Dr. and Cr., but only one 
term is used in summarizing. 



BOOKKEEPING, 291 

66. What is an inventory 1 

A detailed list, with cost-prices of property, goods, etc., 
on hand. 

67. What is the object of closing a ledger i 

To ascertain both the present condition of a business, 
and its progress. Its present condition is shown by a list 
of its resources and liabilities. Its progress is shown by a 
list of its gains or losses. 

68. What class of accounts is closed into loss and gain 1 
Business accounts. 

69. What class of accounts is closed into the balance 
account 1 

Financial accounts. 

70. What is a trial balance 1 

A test of the correctness of ledger account. 

71. What does a balance sheet contain! 

A systematic arrangement of facts for the purpose of 
showing, at a glance, the condition of a business. 

72. Rule paper and arrange the following items to show the 
use of day book, journal and ledger in double entry : 

New York, Sept. i, 1897. Bought of James Monroe, on 
account, 5000 barrels of flour @ ^10. 

Sept. 2. Sold Andrew Jackson, for cash, 100 barrels of 
flour @ ^10.50. 

73. What is a receipt? 

A receipt is a written or printed pcknowledgment of 
the acceptance of money, or whatever is specified therein. 



292 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 



I. Day Book 

New York, September i, 1897. 



Bought of James Monroe, on Account, 
500 bbls. Flour @ ^ro.oo 



Sold Andrew Jackson, for Cash, 
100 bbls. Flour @ $10.50, 



5000 



1050 



2. Journal 

New Ybrk, September i, 1897. 



Dr. 



Cr. 



Merchandise, 

To James Monroe, 



Dr. 



Cash, 

To Merchandise, 



Dr. 



5000 



1050 



5000 



1050 



Dr. 



3. Ledger 

MERCHANDISE 



Cr. 



1897 
Sept. 



To J. Monroe, 



I 


5000 




1897 

Sept. 


2 



By Cash, 



1050 



Dr. 



JAMES MONROE 



Cr. 









1897 

Sept 


I 



By Mdse,, 



5000 



Dr. 



CASH 



Cr. 



1897 
Sept. 



To Mdse., 



I 


1050 









BOOKKEEPING. 



293 


























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294 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

74. Write a receipt for rent in proper form. 



$30.00 Albany, N. V., June /, i8gg. 

Received from James L. Foote, the sum, of 
Thirty and j^^ Dollars, on account of rent of 

premises for the m-onth ending 

May J/, i8gg. 

Walter Pennim^an. 



75. What is a promissory note ? 

It is a written promise to pay to the order of a certain 
party, or to bearer, a stated sum of money, at a specified 
time. 

76. What is a Joint note? 

A joint note is one which two or more persons jointly 
promise to pay. Each person signing a joint note is liable 
for only his share. 

77. Write a non-interest bearing joint note. 



$65— Ymtkers, N. V., Aug. 8, i8gg. 

Sixty days after date we promise to pay 
to the order of Arthur W. Chippendale, 
Sixty-five and ^ Dollars, at the Yonkers 
National Bank. Value received. 

William C. fones. 
No. 42. Due, Oct. 7, 'gg. 

Horace m. Chase. 



BOOKKEEPING. 



295 



/8. What is a joint and several notel 

It is one which two or more persons jointly and severally 
promise to pay. Each person signing such a note is held 
liable for the whole amount, if the others fail to pay their 
shares. 

79. What is a negotiable note] 

One that may be bought and sold, or negotiated. It is 
made payable to the bearer, or to the order of the payee. 

80. What is an indorsement! 

An indorsement makes the indorser, or the one who 
writes his name on the back of the note, liable unless he 
adds "without recourse" for the payment of the note, if 
the maker fails to pay it when due. 

81. What is an indorsement in full! 

It is one in which the indorser limits the payment of the 
note to some particular party. 

82. What is meant by the renewal of a note? 

When the maker of a note can not pay it when it matures, 
oftentimes the holder consents to a renewal by receiving a 
new note for such a sum as when discounted will net the 
amount due on the old note. 

83. What is a draft? 

A draft is an order from one bank or mercantile house 
to another to pay a specified sum of money to a third 
party. 

84. Give terms applied to the person who writes the draft, 
the one to whom the draft is made payable, and the one on 
whom the draft is drawn. 

Drawer, drawee, payee. 

85. What is a bill of exchange? 

A request, or order, from one bank or commercial 
house to another for the payment of. money to a third 



296 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

person named or to his order. It is frequently called a 
draft. 

86. What is a check? 

A written order for money, drawn on a bank, banker, or 
bank cashier, payable on demand without interest, to the 
person named therein, or to his order, or to bearer. The 
word is now generally spelled "cheque." 

87. JEfow does Ofie certify a bank check! 

By stamping, or writing across its face. Good, when 

properly indorsed, for ^ . 

Cashier or Teller. 

88. Of what use is a certified bank check? 

It guarantees the genuineness of the signature of the 
maker, and also that there are sufficient funds on deposit 
to the credit of the drawer to pay the face of the check. 

89. What is a certificate of deposit? 

A written instrument issued by a bank certifying that 
the person named therein has deposited a certain sum of 
money to the credit of himself, or some other person, 
payable when said certificate, properly indorsed, is 
returned. 

90. What is a clearing house? 

A place where bankers meet and make daily settlements 
with each other, by paying and receiving the difference 
between their accounts which arises from the checks drawn 
by the depositors of the various banks. 

9 1. Is the bank debited or credited when a check is drawn 
on it? 

Credited. 

92. Is cash debited or credited, when cash, or its equivalent 

is received? 

Debited. 



BOOKKEEPING. 



297 



93. What is meant by the acceptance of a bill or draft? 

It is a promise made by the drawee, when the bill is 
presented, to pay it at maturity. The draft then becomes 
equivalent to a promissory note. 

94. What is a protest? 

A statement in writing, made by a notary public, at the 
request of the holder of a note, notifying the maker and 
the indorser of its non-payment when due. 

95. What is a bill? 

A bill is a written statement from the creditor to the 
debtor, specifying the nature and amount of the debt and 
when incurred. 

96. Make a bill in proper form, and receipt it. 



Medford, Mass., May 11, i8gg. 
John IVilliam Jay 

Bought of White & Smith. 


May 


2 

6 
9 


JOO bbls. Flour @ td.^o, 

50 " " @ %5'90, 

100 " " @ %9.00i 

Received Payment, 

White & Smith. 


$6so 

295 
900 


00 
00 
00 


%i845 


00 







97. What is an account current? 

An account current is a running, or unsettled account 
It is sometimes used to show only the debtor side of the 
account, each party rendering to the other an account of 
his debits only. 



298 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

980 Write a draft i?i proper form. 



H 

H 
O 

o 



Boston^ Mass., i8g 

Pay to the 



order ^/tTbc Bcrksbtrc IRattonal Banfi 

— Dollars, 

Value received, and charge the same to 

account of 

To 1 



99. What are days of grace 1 

The time allowed (three days) by law after the maturity 
of a bill before it must be paid. It is not allowed in every 
State. 

1 00. What is a due bill? 

A written or printed acknowledgment of indebtedness, 
signed by the debtor. 

I o I . Write a due bill in proper form. 



$60.00 


Boston, 


Mass. 


Dec. ^, i8gg. 


Due 


to Edgar J. 


Thomson, on demand. 


Sixty Dollars, with 


interest from date 


at 6 per 


cent^ until paid. 










William, Burt. 








1 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

ON 

READING. 



1 . What is reading? 

The enunciation of written language. 

2. What is elocution ? 

The delivery of composition. 

3. What does elocution embrace 1 
Orthoepy and expression. 

4. What is expression ? 
The manner of delivery. 

5. What mental qualifications must a good reader possess 
and employ? 

A clear conception. 

A vivid imagination. 

Real sympathy. 

The faculty of imitation. 

Vocal power. 

Artistic skill. 

Precise judgment. 

6. What are the physical requisites for good reading^ 
Distinct articulation. 

Full and free respiration. 

299 



300 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Perfect control of a clear, full, round, musical tone of 
voice. 

Graceful and expressive action. 
Cultivated taste and judgment. 

7. What, then, does good reading demand? 
Articulation, Accent, Emphasis, Inflection, Modulation, 

and Pauses. 

8. What objects are to be aimed at in the study and teaching 
of reading? 

The acquisition of great knowledge. 

The acquisition of a love for reading. 

The improvement of the memory, judgment and taste. 

Improvement of the social faculties. 

Improvement of the health. 

A graceful carriage and address. 

A preparation for public life. 

The prevention and correction of improprieties. 

9. What does orthoepy embrace? 
Articulation, Syllabication, and Accent. 

10. Define articulation. 

It is the utterance of the oral elements. 

1 1. What is correct articulation ? 

Accurate and distinct utterance of the elementary 
sounds. 

t2. How can a good articulation be acquired? 

By continued practice of the utterance of the elemen- 
tary sounds, and an observance of the phonetic analysis of 
syllables and words. 

13. What is Phonetic Analysis? 

It is the separation of syllables and words into the 
elementary sounds of which they are composed. 



READING. 301 

14. What is an elementccry sound '( 

It is the simplest distinct sound made by the organs of 
speech. 

15. What are oral elements? How produced? 

They are the elementary sounds that form syllables and 
words, and are produced by the positions of the organs of 
speech in connection with the breath. 

1 6. Into what classes are the elementary sounds of the 
English language divided? 

They are divided into vocals, subvocals, and aspirates. 

17. Define each of these. 

Vocals are pure tones, and are the prominent elements of 
all words. 

Subvocals are those consonants which produce an under- 
tone of voice when their sounds are uttered. 

Aspirates are mere whispers made by the organs of 
speech and breath. 

18. Give a list of the most common faults in articulation. 

Suppression of vocal sounds in unaccented syllables. 
Suppression of subvocal and aspirate sounds. 
Incorrect articulation of vocal sounds. 
Omission and addition of syllables. 

Blending the end of one word with the beginning of the 
next. 

19. What is accentuation? 

The act of applying accents in reading and speaking. 

20. What is accent? 

The force given to one or more syllables of a word. 

21. How are accented syllables designated? 
By a mark, thus, ('); as command' ment. 



302 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

2 2. Name and define the kinds of accent. 
Primary and secondary: the primary calls for the more 
forcible stress of voice, and the secondary the less forcible. 

23. When two syllables of a word are accented^ which has 
the greater force I 

The primary. 

24. What are the expressions of speech? 

Emphasis, Slur, Inflection, Modulation, Monotone, 
Personation, and Pauses. 

25. What is emphasis? 

The force given to one or more words of a sentence. 

26. What is the object of emphasis? 

To attract particular attention to the word or phrase 
upon which it is placed. 

27. How is it accomplished? 

Usually by an increased stress or emphasis, but some- 
times by an unusual lowering of the voice, even to a 
whisper. 

28. Define slur. 

It is the smooth, gliding, subdued movement of the voice 
used in parenthetic clauses, with words contrasted or re 
peated, and in explanation. 

29. How are emphatic words distinguished in print? 
By italics, small capitals, and CAPITALS. 

30. When should emphatic words be used? 

When words and phrases are important in meaning, or 
when they point out a difference; when emphatic words 
are repeated, or when a succession of important words or 
phrases occurs. 

31. How many kinds of emphasis are there? 
Two: absolute and antithetic. 



READING, 303 

32. What is absolute emphasis? 

That which is used to designate the important words of 
a sentence, without any direct reference to other words. 

^^. Define antithetic emphasis. 

It is founded on the contrast of one word or clause with 
another. 

34. What are inflections 7 

The upward or downward slides of the voice. 

35. How many inflections are there! 

Three: the rising, the falling, and the circumflex. 

36. What is the circumflex^ 

A union of the rising and falling inflections, beginning 
with the one and ending with the other. 

37. What is a series 1 

A number of words or phrases following one another in 
the same sentence. 

38. What is a commencing series, and what a concluding 
series 1 

Where a succession of particulars occurs at the begin- 
ning or middle of a sentence it is called a commencing 
series. Where it terminates a sentence it is a concluding 
series. 

39. What is monotone 1 
A sameness of tone. 

40. What is transition! 

A change in the manner of expression. 

41. Define monotony. 

Monotony is a frequent occurrence of the same tone, 
without reference to the sense. 

42. When is the rising inflection used! 

It is generally used when the sense is incomplete; in 



304 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

questions which may be answered by yes or no; when a 
word or sentence is repeated as a kind of interrogatory 
exclamation; usually in negative sentences- and in the last 
sentence but one of a passage. 

43. When is the falling inflection used? 

When the sense is incomplete; when language demands 
strong emphasis; in exclamations; and in questions which 
cannot be answered by yes or no. 

44. In what is the circumflex mainly used? 

In the language of irony, sarcasm and contrast. 

45. What is modulation, and how is it divided? 

Modulation is the variation of the voice made in reading 
and speaking, and is divided into pitch, force, quality, and 
rate. 

46. What is pitchy and how divided? 

Pitch is the degree of elevation of the voice, and is 
divided into high, moderate and low. High pitch is that 
which rises above the usual speaking key, and is used in 
expressing joyous and elevated feelings. Moderate pitch 
is that which is heard in common conversation, and is 
used in expressing ordinary thought and moderate emo- 
tion. Low pitch is that which falls below the usual speak- 
ing key, and is employed in expressing emotions of 
sublimity, awe and reverence. 

47. Define force and its divisions. 

Force is the volume, or loudness of voice, and is divided 
into loud, moderate and gentle. Loud force is used in 
expressing violent passions and vehement emotions. Mod- 
erate force is a medium loudness of voice, and is employed 
in narrative, description, and ordinary assertion. Gentle 
or subdued force is employed to express fear, caution, 
secrecy, solemnity, and tender emotions. 



READING. 305, 

48. Define rate, and tell how it is classified. 

Rate is the speed of utterance, and is divided into 
quick, moderate and slow. Quick rate is used to express 
joy, mirth, violent anger and sudden fear. Moderate rate 
is employed for the same purposes as moderate force. 
Slow rate is used to express grandeur, vastne^s, pathos, 
horror and consternation. 

49. What is quality, and how divided'} 

Quality has reference to the kinds of sound uttered, and 
is divided into the pure tone, orotund, aspirate, guttural, 
and trembling. 

50. What is the difference between qtiantity and pitch? 
Quantity has reference to loudness or volume of sound; 

pitch to the elevation or depression of a tone. 

51. What is the difference between force and emphasis! 
Force is the energy with which the whole is uttered; 

emphasis is the stress on a particular portion. 

52. What is cadence 1 

The dropping of the voice at the end of the sentence, 
which indicates that the sense is complete. 

53. What is stress? 

The manner in which force is applied. 

54. What is climax? 

Climax is an utterance gradually increasing in intensity, 
and changing in pitch and movement. 

5 5 . Define grouping. 

Grouping is that nice modulation and adaptation of 
the voice to the sentiment expressed which renders the 
utterance not only more impressive but more pleasing to 
the ear. 

56. What is pure tone 7 

A clear, smooth, flowing sound, vrith moderate pitch. 



3o6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

57. What is the orotund quality 1 

The pure tone deepened, enlarged and intensified, and 
is adapted to the expression of the sublime and pathetic 
emotions. 

58. Describe the aspirated tone. 

An expulsion of the breath, the words being spoken in a 
whisper. 

5 9. What is the guttural quality ? 

A deep undertone, expressing hatred, contempt, loath- 
ing. 

60. Wheft is the trembling tone used? 

The trembling tone is a constant waver of the voice, 
used to express an intense degree of suppressed excite- 
ment, or in representing the speech of 'enfeebled old age 

6 1 . What is personation ? 

Changes of the voice necessary to represent two or more 
persons speaking. 

62. What are pauses? 

Suspensions of the voice in reading or speaking. 

63. What are grammatical pauses? 
Pauses indicated by punctuation marks. 

64. Define rhetorical pauses. 

They are suspensions of the voice which the sense 
requires when a grammatical pause is not admissible. 

65. What are etymological points? 

Points used to indicate something in regard to the 
formation, use, or omission of words or parts of words. 

66. Explain the apostrophe, caret, diceresis, marks of 
quantity, marks 0/ accent, hyphen, period. 

The apostrophe (') is used to show the omission of a 
letter or letters; as, Sec'y. 



READING. 307 

The caret (a) is used to show some omissions in writing; 
as, come 

"The king is (a) to marshal us." 

The dicsresis marks the separation of contiguous vowels; 
as, preengage. 

Marks of quantity are used to show that the vowel is 
long or short, and are placed over the letters, (" "). 

The marks of accent express the tones of the voice and 
are the grave (^), the acute ('), and the circumflex (^). 

The hyphen (-) is used to separate syllables, or to unite 
the parts of a compound word. 

The period (.) is used to show the abbreviation of a 
word; as, lat. for latitude. 

67. What are the points of reference 'i 

Points used to refer the reader to some other place 
on the page or the book; they are: the Asterisk (*); 
the Obelisk or Dagger (j); the Double Dagger ($); the Sec- 
tion (§); Parallels (||); the Paragraph (H). If necessary, 
these points may be doubled. 

68. What is suspensive quantity 1 

Prolongation of the voice at the end of a word without 
making an actual pause. 

69. What does quantity embraced 
Force and rate. 

70. What is the difference between enunciation and pronun- 
ciation 1 

Enunciation is the utterance of words; pronunciation, 
the mode of utterance. 

71. What quality of voice is generally used in reading aiid 
speakingl 

The pure tone. 

7 2 . What determ ines the projber accen t of words f 

General usage. 



3o8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

73. How is inflection sometimes affected by emphasis 1 

It sometimes changes the falling to the rising inflection. 

74. What is the difference between the construction of prose 
and poetry ? 

Prose pays no attention to the melodious arrangement 
of its words, while poetry is written with regard to the 
feet in each line, or the rhyme, or both. 

75. What is a parenthetic clause, and how should it be 
readi 

Something abruptly introduced into a sentence for the 
purpose of modifying, explaining or adding to the leading 
proposition. It should be read in a lower voice. 

76. When melody comes into conflict with accent, which must 
yield? 

Accent. 

77. Give a principle of reading that will admit of general 
application. 

Be sure that you understand what you read, and en- 
deavor to express the sentiments of the author as you 
would express them if they were your own and you were 
talking. 

78. What are some of the essential qualities of good 
reading? 

To read slowly, mind the pauses, give the proper inflec- 
tions, speak plainly, and read as if talking. 

79. Give rules for the use of capitals. 
Capital letters are used : 

To begin the first word of a sentence; 

To begin proper names; 

To begin titles of honor; 

To begin the first word of every line of poetry; 

To begin the names of objects personified; 



READING, 309 

In writing the pronoun I, and the interjection O; 

To begin appellations of the Deity; 

To begin the names of the days of the week and of 
the month; 

To begin direct quotations; 

To begin words derived from proper names; 

To begin the chief words in the titles of books, head- 
ings of divisions of books, chapters, discourseSi 
etc., 

To begin words of special importance. 

80. EXAMPLES. 

Be honest and you will rise in the vi^orld. 

He spoke to James, who came from Boston. 

And they hailed Him King of the Jews. 

"Let us with a gladsome mind 
Praise the Lord, for He is kind ; 
For His mercies aye endure, 
Ever faithful, ever sure." 

"Homesick and heartsick, tired and desolate, 
He leans himself 'gainst Learning's iron gate." 

And they all cried out, "O, there they are!" 

"For God's glory and grace, and His great holy place, 
are not all in the sky." 

He graduated on Wednesday, April 21, 1907. 

He said, "Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in 
long robes." 

Each seemed favorable to the Darwinian theory of the 
origin of man. 

Faith, hope and charity, but the greatest of these is 
Charity. 



3IO COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

8i. General Rules in Reading. 

Rule I. Direct questions, or those that can be answered 
by yes or no, generally require the rising inflection, and theii 
answers the falling. 

Examples. — Do you think he will come to-day' ? No^ ; I think he will 
not". — Was that Henry'? No"; it was John". — Did you see William'? Yes", 
I did". — Are you going to town to-day'? No", I shall go to-morrow". 

Rule II. The pause of suspension, denoting that the 
sense is unfinished, such as a succession of particulars that 
are not emphatic, cases of direct address, sentences implying 
condition, the case absolute, etc., generally requires the rising 
inflection. 

Examples. — John', James', and William', come here. — The great', the 
good', the honored', the noble', the wealthy', alike pass away. 
Friends', Romans', countrymen', lend me your ears. 
Jesus saith unto Kim, Simon', son of Jonas', lovest thou me'? 

Ye hills', and dales', ye rivers', woods', and plains'. 
And ye that live and move, fair creatures', tell", 
Tell, if ye saw, how came I thus" ; how here" ? 

Rule III. Indirect questions, or those which cannot be 
answered by yes or no, generally require the falling inflec- 
tion, and their answers the same. 

Examples. — When did you see James" ? Yesterday". — When will he come 
again"? To-morrow". 

Who say the people that I am" ? They answering, said, John the Bap- 
tist" ; but some say Elias" ; and others say that one of the old prophets" is 
risen again. 

Did you see William'? Yes". Did he say anything'? Yes". What did 
he say" ? 

Rule IV. A completion of the sense, whether at the 
close or any other part of the sentence, requires the falling 
inflection. 

Examples. — He that saw me' saw you also", and he who aided me once' 
will aid me again". 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth 
was without form, and void" ; and darkness was on the face of the deep" : 
jand the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters". 

Rule V. Words and clauses connected by the disjunctive 
07- generally require the rising inflection before the disjunct* 
ive, and the falling after it. Where several words are thus 



READING. 311 

connected in the same clause^ the rising inflection is given to 
all except the last. 

Examples. — Will you go' or stay^ ? I will go\ — Will you go in the 
buggy', or the carriage', or the cars', or the coach^ ? I will go in the cars\ 

He may study law', or medicine', or divinity"; or', he may enter into 
trade\ 

The baptism of John, was it from heaven', or of men''? 
Did he travel for health', or for pleasure' ? 
Did he resemble his father', or his mother'? 

Rule VI. When negation is opposed to affirmationj the 
former takes the rising and the latter the falling inflection, in 
whatever order they occur. Comparison and contrast (an- 
tithesis) come under the same head. 

Examples. — I did not hear him', I saw him'. — I said he was a good 
soldier', not' a good citizen'. — He will not come to-day', but to-morrow'. — 
He did not call me', but you'. — He means dutiful', not undutiful'. — I come 
;o bury Caesar', not to praise him'. 

This is no time for a tribunal of justice', but for showing mercy'; not 
for accusation', but for philanthropy'; not for trial', but for pardon'; not 
[or sentence and execution', but for compassion and kindness'. 

Rule VII. For the sake of variety and harmony, the last 
pause but one in a sentence is usually preceded by the rising 
inflection. 

Examples. — The minor longs to be of age' ; then to be a man of business'' ; 
;hen to arrive at honors' ; then to retire'. 

Time taxes our health', our limbs', our faculties', our strength', and our 
features'. 

Rule VIII. ist. A Commencing Series. 

In an emphatic series of particulars, where the series be- 
gins the sentence, but does not either end it or form com- 
plete sense, every particular except the last should have the 
falling inflection. 

Example. — Our disordered hearts^, our guilty passions'', our violent 
prejudices^, and misplaced desires', are the instruments of the trouble which 
we endure. 

2d. A Concluding Series. 

When the series ends the sentence, or forms complete 
sense, every particular in the series, except the last but one, 
should have the falling inflection; and, indeed, all should 
have it, if the closing member of the series is of sufficient 



312 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

length to admit a pause with the rising inflection, before the 
end. 

.Example. — Charity suffereth long', and is kind"; charity envieth nof; 
charity vaunteth not itself"; is not puffed up\ doth not behave itself mm- 
seemly^; seeketh not her owtC \ is not easily provoked'; thinketh no eviV. 

Rule IX. Expressions of tender emotion, such as grief, 
pity, kindness, gentle joy, a gentle reproof, gentle appeal, gen- 
tle entreaty or expostulation, etc., commonly require a gentle 
rising inflection. 

Examples. — Oh, John, don't do that'. 

It is not kind of you, Willie, to stone the birds'. 

There will be a light in the window for you', my dear boy'. 

Rule X. The monotone, which is a succession of words 
on the same key or pitch, is often employed in passages of 
solemn denunciation, sublime description, or expressing deep 
reverence and awe. It is marked with the short horizontal 
dash over the accented vowel. 

Examples. — And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the 
Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. 

Blessing, honor, glory, and power be iinto him that sitteth on the throne, 
and to the Lamb forever and ever. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY 
AND PHONOLOGY. 



1. Of what does Orthography treat 1 

sit treats of correct spelling, and the nature and powei 
of letters. 

2. Define Orthoepy. 

The art of correct pronunciation. 

3. What is Phonologyi 

The science of uttering the elementary sounds. 

4. What is sound, and how are sounds classified! 

Sound is the sensation produced upon the auditory nerve 
by vibration of the air or other conducting media. Sounds 
are classified as tones and noises. 

5. What are tones! What are noises 1 

Tones are harmonious sounds which are pleasing to the 
ear. Noises are sounds without any regularity of produc- 
tion and devoid of the harmony of tones. 

6. What is a letter! 

A character used to represent an elementary sound 

313 



314 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

7. What a7'e elementary sounds 'i 

Distinct single sounds, by the combination of which aU 
the words of our language are formed. 

8. How many elementary sounds are there in the English 
language, and how are they divided? 

There are forty-five. They are divided into three 
classes: vowels, subvocals, and aspirates. 

9. Are all the elementary sounds distinct and true elements 
of our language! 

Many of them are similarly formed and therefore diffi- 
cult to distinguish, but they are as near the requirements 
of a pure articulation as phonetists have been able to 
devise. 

10. How are these sounds produced? 

By the organs of speech, with the breath. 

1 1. What are the organs of speech ? 

The principal ones are the lips, teeth, tongue, palate, 
and nasal passages. 

12. How is voice produced? 

By the action of the breath on the larynx. 

13. What are the organs of voice? 

They are the lungs, diaphragm, intercostal muscles, 
bronchi and trachea, larynx and pharynx. 

1 4. What is the difference between voice and speech ? 
Voice is tone produced by the action of the breath on 

the larynx, while speech is the modulation of the voice to 
express thought, and may be uttered in a whisper. 

15. What are the vocal chords? 

They are the special vocal apparatus, and consist of two 
ligaments or bands of fibrous tissue situated within the 
larynx. 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY AND PHONOLOGY. 315 

16. What peculiar formation has the tongue f 

It consists of a mass of muscular fibres so arranged as to 
admit of motion in every direction or several directions at 
once. 

17. Describe the palate. 

The palate is the roof of the mouth continuing back- 
ward, where it becomes a yielding, muscular, membraneous 
awning, separating the mouth proper from the nasal 
passages and the upper part of the pharynx. 

18. What connection has the ear with the voice? 

The ear receives the productions of the voice, and by 
the communication of the auditory nerves with the brain 
they are understood. 

1 9. How is speech produced! 

By the action of the diaphragm and other muscles the 
breath is forced from the lungs through the bronchi and 
trachea into the larynx, where it comes into contact with 
the vocal chords, which, being called into action, produce 
a vibration, and by the resonating of the pharynx and other 
. cavities is communicated to the external air, falling at 
length as a tone upon the listening ear. 

20. How are the letters divided? 
Into vowels and consonants. 

21. What are vowels? 

Vowels are letters that denote pure tones. 

22. What are consonants? 

Consonants are letters that represent the subvocal or 
aspirate sounds. 

23. How are the consonants divided? 

Into single letters and combinations, mutes and senij< 
vowels, subvocals and aspirates. 



3l6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

24. What is a mute? 

A letter which admits of no escape of breath while the 
organs of speech are in contact. 

25. Name the mutes. 

The mutes are h, p, d, t, k, c, and g hard. 

26. What is a semivowel? 

A letter which, in pronouncing, admits of an escape of 
breath. The semivowels include all the consonants except 
the mutes.* 

'i'j. What divisions are formed from the semivowels? 

Four of the semivowels, /, m, n, r, are called liquids be- 
cause of their soft sound, which easily unites with the 
sounds of other letters; two of them, m and n, and one of 
the combinations, ng, are called nasals; s and z are called 
sibilants, or hissing letters. 

28. What are subvocals? 

Those consonants which produce an undertone of voice 
when their sounds are uttered. 

29. Name them. 

The subvocals are b, d, g, /, /, m, n, r, v, w, _y, z, th, zh, 
and ng. 

30. What are aspirates ? 

The aspirates are mere whispers made by the organs of 
speech and breath, and are <:, /, h^ k, p, s, t, x^ th, irh, sh, 
and wh. 

31. Name the combinations of the consonants. 

They are th aspirate, th subvocal, ch^ sh^ zh, wh^ and ng. 

* The difference between the mutes and semivowels is that the 
organs of speech are more closely united in pronouncing the mutes 
than the semivowels. 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY AND PHONOLOGY. 317 

32. According to their formation, into what classes are the 
eonsonant sounds divided? 

Four: labials, defitals, Unguals, z.nd palatals. 

33. How are the labials fori?ied1 

By the lips ; as b, f, in, p, v, w, and wh. The lips are as 
sisted by the teeth in making the sounds ofy and v, 

34. How are the dentals formed? 

Through the teeth ; as /', s, z, ch, sh, zh, and c and g soft. 

35. How are the Unguals formed? 

By the tongue, and are d, I, n, r, t, y, th aspirate, and th 
subvocal. 

36. How are the palatals formed? 

By the palate ; as k, q, x, ng, and c and g hard. 

37. Why is the letter h not included in these divisions? 

As the sound is formed by emitting the breath suddenly 
with all the organs open, it does not properly belong to 
these divisions, since the organs of speech are not brought 
into action. 

38. What are cognates? 

Letters whose elements are produced by the same organs 
in a similar manner; as/" and v. The aspirates (except /^) 
are all cognates of some of the subvocals. 

39. How do we analyze words? 

By taking each letter separately, stating whether it is a 
vowel or consonant; if a vowel, what its sound is; if a 
consonant, to what divisions it belongs. 

40. How is th aspirate distinguished from th subvocali 
To distinguish th subvocal from th aspirate, a dash is 

placed beneath the subvocal. 

41. How are the elementary sounds divided? 

There are twenty vowel sounds, fifteen subvocals, and 
ten aspirates. 



ii8 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOR, 



20 
vowel ■{ 
sounds 



25 
conso 

nant "^ 

sounds 



42. How fnafiy sounds have the vowels f 
Forty-five, classified as follows: 

a, a, a, a, a, a, as in ale, add, air, arm, ark, all 

e, e, e, as in eve, end, verge. 

i, i, as in ice, ill. 

6, 6, as in old, odd. 

00, 06, as in moon, wool. 

u, u, u, as in use, up, urge. 

ou, as in out. 

oi, as in oil. 

SUBVOCALS : 

b> d, g, j, 1, as in bet, dot, get, jet, lid. 

m, n, n, r, th, as in mit, not, finger, rat, that. 

V, w, y, z, zh, as in vat, woe, yet, buzz- azure. 

Aspirates : 
p, t, k, h, as in pet, tin, kit, hat. 
ch, th, f, wh^ as in chin, thin, fat, when, 
s, sh, as in sin, shot. 

43. According to this classification of elementary sounds, 
how many letters would be required to form a full alphabett 

Forty-five. 

44. How is this deficiency filled? 

By giving to some letters more than one sound. These 
sounds are represented by marks or symbols. 

45. What names are given to the symbols which represent 
the differetit sounds? 

The Macron " 

The Breve " 
Vowel J The Circumflex 
marks. ] The Tilde, or Wave " 

Two Dots " 
(^ One Dot • 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY AND PHONOLOGY. 319 

Conso- I The Bar _ 
nant I The Dotted Bar ^ 
marks. j^The Cedilla, 

46. Of all the elementary sounds, which represent the purest 
product of the human voicel 

The Italian a, as in ah. 

47. What can be said of all other vocals and subvocalsl 
They are considered modifications of this tone, as they 

require some portion of it. 

48. What is a diphthong? 

A union of two vowel sounds in the same syllable. 

49. How many diphthongs are there? 
Four: ou, ow, oi, oy. 

50. How many sounds are represented by these diphthongs? 
Two: ou and ow represent the same sound, and are 

called inseparable diphthongs, because they cannot be sep- 
arated into two distinct vowel sounds; oi and oy represent 
one sound, and are called separable diphthongs, because 
their sounds can be separated into broad <? and short i. 
To test the separable diphthongs, spell by sound the words 
oil and boy, using broad a and short / in each, and pro- 
nounce in quick succession. 

51. What is a digraph? What is a triphthong? 

A digraph is the union of two vowels in the same syllable, 
one of which is silent. A triphthong is the union of three 
vowels in the same syllable, two of which are silent. 

52. What are the elements of which orthoepy treats? 
Articulation, syllabication and accent. 

53. What is a syllable? 

A letter or combination of letters, uttered by one 

emission of the voice. 



320 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

54. What is a word? 

A syllable or combination of syllables representing some 
thought or idea. 

55. What are words of one, two, three, four or more syl- 
lables called? 

Monosyllables, dissyllables, trisyllables and polysyllables. 

56. What is essential in every syllable? 
A vowel. 

57. By what is the principal sound in every syllable prO' 

duced? 

By the vowel, except in unaccented syllables with e as 
the vowel sound. . 

58. To what does every consonant belong? 

To some vowel or diphthong, unless it be silent. 

59. When is a consonant antecedent or consequent to a 
vowel? 

When it precedes the vowel in the same syllable it is 
antecedent to it ; when it follows in the same syllable it is 
consequent to it. 

60. What is syllabication ? 
Dividing words into syllables. 

61. What is the guide for arranging words into syllables? 

They must be arranged exactly as they are heard in 
correct pronunciation. 

62. How may a word be divided at the end of a line? 
Between the syllables. 

63. Why are words divided into syllables? 
To assist in their pronunciation. 

64. When is the hyphen used? 

Between compound words when first formed or when 



OR THO GRAPHY, OR THOEPY A ND PHONOL OGY. 321 

little used; between syllables and the ends of lines; and 
between syllables for the purpose of instruction. 

65. When two vowels come together^ how are they disposed 
of in syllabication! 

Unless they constitute a diphthong they must be treated 
as two syllables, or they may be used together with one 
vowel silent. 

66. When is one letter a substitute fo', another'! 

When it has the sound usually represented by another 
letter. 

67. What properties does a substituted letter assume t 
Those of the letter which it represents. 

-68. Which letters have no substitutes i 
By d, g, /?, /, m, n, p, r, th and wh. 

6g. When is i a consonant! 

When it begins a syllable and is immediately followed 
by a vowel sound; as in alien. 

70. Is n ever a consonant? 

When it is preceded by g or s, and immediately followed 
by a vowel sound, it is a consonant and a substitute for w; 
as in language. 

71. When is q a vowel! Is w ever a vowel! 

When it represents the sound of /. Formerly w was 
called a vowel when it represented the sound of u, but as 
it cannot form a syllable either alone or in connection 
with consonants, as all the other vowels do, it is proper ta 
deny it the name of a vowel. 

72. What is the use of silent letters! 
To modify the sounds of other letters. 

73. Which letters are never silent! 

p> j\ q, ^p X, V, z. 



322 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

74. Which letters have no sound of their own? 
C, X and q. 

RULES FOR SILENT LETTERS. 

75. When is & final silentl 

When another vowel precedes it in the same syllable; as 
in made, grape, ice, bride. 

76. What would be the result if & final were not silent? 
Two syllables would be formed for one. 

77. When is b silent? 

Before t or after m in the same syllable; as in comb, 
tomb, debt^ siibtle. 

78. When is c silejit? 

Before k in the same syllable ; as in back, rack, luck. It 
is also silent in czar, indict, muscle, victuals, and a few 
others. 

79. When is d silent? 

Before g in the same syllable ; as in bridge, pledge. 

80. When is g siletit? 

Before m or n in the same syllable; as in phlegm, gnat, 

malign, design. 

81. Whe7i is h silent? 

After ^ or r in the same syllable; as in ghost, rhyme, rheu- 
i?iatism; when it is final, following a vowel, as in oh, ah, 
fehovah; when it is initial in a few words, as in herb, heir, 
honest, hour; and in asthma, phthisis, isthmus, Thomas, 
Thames, it follows / and is silent. 

82. When is k silent? 

Before n in the same syllable; as in knife, knee. 

83. When is 1 silent? 

After a when followed by /, m, k or v, in the same 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY AND PHONOLOGY. 323 

syllable (except valve) -^ as \n folks, half, palm, stalk, salve, 
L is silent also in could, would and should. 

84. When is n silent? 

After / and m; as in kiln, solemn. 

85. When is p silent? 

When it is initial and before n, s, or /; as in psalm, 
pneumonia, psalter. 

86. When is t silent? 

Before ch in the same syllable ; as in notch, latch. It is 
silent also in Christmas, eclat, mortgage, and a few other 
words. 

87. When is w silent? 

Before r in the same syllable; as in wrap and wreck; and 
also in whole, sword, whoop, answer and two. 

88. When is gh silent? 

After i in the same syllable ; as \n fright and neigh. After 
au and oW; as in aught, ought, bought, slaughter and through. 

89. /;^ zc/^a/ words is ch silent? 
In yacht, schism and drachm. 

90. /« Z£/^a/ words is s silent? 

In corps, isle, island, puisne, viscount and belles-lettres. 

91. /j m ^z^^?" silent? 

In the word mnemonic or Mnemon. 

92. /« ^(9Z£/ many ways are words designated? 

First, as simple or compound; second, as primitive or 
derivative. 

93. What is a simple word? What is a compound word? 
One that is not composed of two or more whole words: 

a compound word is composed of two or more simple ones 

94. What is a primitive wo?'d? 

One that is derived from no other word. 



324 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

95. What is a derivative word? 

One formed from a primitive by means of prefixes or 
suffixes. 

96. What is a prefix? What is a suffix? What is a root? 
A prefix is a letter or letters joined to the beginning of 

a word; at the end of a word the addition is called a 
suffix; the root is the chief word without prefix or suffix. 

97. Under what circumstances is a word primitive which 
is formed by the addition of prefixes or suffixes? 

Whenever the meaning of the word is radically changed 
by the addition of prefixes or suffixes; as in reproof in 
which the meaning of neither re ox proof is retained. 

In forming derivatives by means of suffixes, something 
more is required than merely to write the parts together 
as one word. Thus, if we desire to affix the suffix ed to 
the word suffer, we have only to unite, without change, the 
suffix with the radical, making suffered. But with the 
viox6. prefer, a change must be made by doubling the final 
r; thus preferred. This and other like changes are made, 
for the most part, in strict accordance with known rules. 
These rules should be committed to memory by repeated 
illustrations in order to understand when and how to apply 
them. 

98. Give the general rules for spelling. 

RULES FOR SPELLING. 

Rule I. — The final ^ of a radical word is rejected 
when the suffix begins with a vowel, except words ending 
in ceorge; as, moving, salable, pleasure, peaceable, coura- 
geous. 

Rule II. — The final ^ of a radical word is generally re- 
tained when the suffix begins with a consonant; as, hope- 
less, movement. In abridge, acknowledge, argue, awe, 
due, judge, lodge, true and whole, silent e is not retained 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY AND PHONOLOGY. 325 

Rule III. — Monosyllables and words accented on the 
Jast syllable, when they end with a single consonant pre- 
ceded by a single vowel, double their final consonants 
before a suffix that begins with a vowel; as, baggage, 
spotted, beginner. 

Rule IV. — The final consonant, when not preceded by 
a single vowel, or when the word is not accented on the 
last syllable, remains single upon the addition of a suffix; 
as, spoiling, suffered, toiling, visiting. 

Rule V. — The final j^ of a radical word, when preceded 
by a consonant, is generally changed into i upon the addi- 
tion of a suffix; as happ/ness, tr/al, stor/ed. In a few 
instances y is changed into e before ous and its com- 
pounds; as, beauteous, beauteously. 

Rule VI. — The final i of a radical word is omitted 
when the suffix begins with i; as, alkal/, alkalize. 

Rule VII. — The final _>' of a radical word when pre- 
ceded by a vowel, or when the suffix begins with /, remains 
unchanged; as, buyer, glorying. 

Rule VIII. — Words ending in / or fe commonly 
change / into v when a suffix is added beginning with a 
vowel; as, wives, mischievous. 

Rule IX. — Words ending in /?, preceded by a con- 
sonant, drop these letters on receiving the suffix ly; as, 
ably, idly. 

Rule X. — Words ending in ble, before the suffixes ity 
and ities, take / between the letters b and // as, ab/lity, 
ab/lities. 

Rule XL — Words ending in er or or often drop the e 
or before a suffix beginning with a vowel; as, victrix, 
wondrous. 

Rule XII. — Monosyllables ending in f, I or j, pre- 
ceded by a single vowel, double the final consonant; as 
staff, spell, mill — except if, of, as, gas, has, was, yes, is, his, 
this, us, thus. 

Rule XIII. — Words ending in any other consonants 



326 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOAr.^ 

than /, / or s do not double the final letter — except add^ 
odd, ebb, egg, inn, err, purr, biitt, buzz, fuzz. 

The following is a list of prefixes, with their significa 
tions: 

A signifies on, in, at, to; as, abroad, abed, avert. 

AB signifies from; as, absolve, to free from. 

AD, AC, AF, AG, AL, AN, AP, AR, AT, signify tO; aS 

Adjoin, to join to; 
Accredit, to give credit to; 
Affix, to fix to; 
Agglutinate, sticking to; 
Allure, entice to; 
Annex, join to; 
Append, hang to; 
Arrange, range to; 
Attune, tune to. 

ALL, AL, WHOLLY; aS 

All just, wholly just. 

Already, wholly, or completely ready. 

All, when not separated from the radical by a hyphen, 
rejects one /. 
ANTi, ANT, signify against; as — 

Antipathy, a feeling against. 

Antarctic, opposite to the arctic. 
ANTE signifies before; as, antecedent, going before. 
BE signifies near; as, beside, near, or by the side of. 
Bi signifies two ; as, bifold, twofold. 
ciRCUM signifies around; as, circumnavigate, to sail 

around. 
CON, COM, CO, COL, COR, signify with; as — 

Conjoin, to join with; 

Commix, to mix with; 

Coequal, equal with; 

Collect, to place with or together; 

Correlative, relating with. 
CONTRA5 COUNTER, signify opposite; as— = 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY AND PHONOLOGY. Z'^1 

Contradance, a dance opposite; 

Counterview, a view opposite. 
DE signifies from ; as, depart, to part from. 
DEMI signifies half; as, demi-wolf, half-wolf, 
DiA signifies through ; as, diameter, the measure through. 
Di, Dis, signify two ; as — 

Ditone, an interval of two tones; 

Dissyllable, a word of two syllables; 
DIS also signifies not or un; as, dissimilar, not similar, 

disband, unband. 
E, EX, EC, EF, signify out; as — 

Emigrate, to move out; 

Export, to carry out of port ; 

Eccentric, out of, or deviating from the centre; 

Effluent, flowing out. 
EXTRA signifies beyond; as, extravagant, going beyond. 
EQUi signifies equal; as, equidistant, at an equal dis- 
tance. 
EN, EM, signify in ; as — 

Enclose, to close in ; 

Embroil, to put in a broil or tumult. 
EU signifies well or agreeable; as, euphony, agreeable 

sound. 
HEX signifies six; as, hexangular, six angles. 
HYPER signifies over; as, hypercritical, over-critical. 
IN, iM, IG, IL, IR, signify not or in; as — 

Incomplete, not complete; 

Imprudent, not prudent; 

Illegible, that can not be read; 

Ignoble, not noble; 

Irregular, not regular. 
INTRO signifies within; as, introspection, looking withia 
INTER signifies between; as, intervene, to come between. 
juxTA signifies next; as, juxtaposition, the place next. 
MAL signifies bad; as, malpractice, bad practice. 
MIS signifies wrong; as, misguide, to guide wrong. 



328 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

MONO signifies one; as monosyllable, one syllable. 
MULTi signifies many; as, multiform, having many formSi 
NON signifies not; as, non-essential, not essential. 
OCT signifies eight; as, octangular, eight-angled. 
OMNI signifies all; as, omnipotent, all-powerful. 
OUT signifies beyond; as, outrun, to run beyond. 
OVER signifies above; as, overshoot, to shoot over, 
ovi signifies an egg; as, oviform, egg-shaped. 
PER signifies by; as, perchance, by chance. 
PERI signifies around; as, perimeter, the measure around. 
PAR, PARA, signify from ; as — 

Parody, an ode or song which is an alteration from 
another; 

Parasol, a small canopy to shield from the sun. 
PEN signifies almost; as, peninsula, almost an island. 
PLENi signifies full; as plenipotent, full of power. 
POLY signifies many; as, polysyllabic, having many syl- 
lables. 
POST signifies after; as, postpone, to place after or put 

off. 
PRE signifies before; as, prejudge, to judge beforehand. 
PRETER signifies beyond; as, preternatural, beyond the 

natural. 
PRO signifies for; as, pronoun, for a noun. 
PROTO signifies first; as, protomartyr, the first martyr. 
QUAD signifies four; as, quadrangle, four-angled. 
RE signifies again ; as, review, to view again. 
RECT, RECTI, signify right or straight, as — 

Rectangle, right angle; 

Rectilinear, straight-lined. 
RETRO signifies back; as, retrograde, to go backwards. 
SEMI, DEMI, HEMi, signify half; as — 

Semicircle, half a circle; 

Demitone, half a tone; 

Hemisphere, half a sphere. 
oTEREO signifies solid; as, stereotype, solid type. 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY AND PHONOLOGY. 329 

SUB, sue, SUF, SUG, SUP, SUBTER, signify under; as — 
Subcommittee, under committee; 
Succeed, to follow after; 
Suffix, to fix after; 
Suggest, to put under notice; 
Suppress, to press under; 
Subterfluous, flowing under. 
SUPER, SUR, signify over or more; as — 
Superhuman, more than human; 
Surcharge, overcharge, 
sus signifies up; as, sustain, to hold up. 
SE signifies apart; as, secede, to go apart. 
SINE signifies without; as, sine die, without a day. 
SYM signifies with; as, sympathy, with feeling. 
TRANS signifies across; as, transatlantic, across the At- 
lantic. 
ULTRA signifies beyond; as, ultramontane, beyond the 

mountains. 
UN signifies not; as, unwise, not wise. 
WITH signifies against; as, withstand, to stand against. 
The following table contains the simple suffixes with 
their definitions, and words to illustrate them. For want 
of space a full analysis of the words cannot be given, but 
the student can supply the want by giving a complete 
definition of the suffixes and primitive words combined. 

i^a) Jze, tize, ze, ise, se, ish,fy, ify, en, e, ate, iate, uaie, cate, 
icate, ite, signify to make, to give, to put upon or into; as 
civilize, stigmatize, glaze, criticise, cleanse, establish, satisfy, 
justify, soften, breathe, maturate, ampliate, actuate, impli- 
cate, duplicate, unite. 

(b) Ing, ant, ent, lent, signify continuing; as, watering, 
dormant, pendent, sufficient. 

(f) ^^ signifies did; as, preferred, did prefer. 
(//) Ate, ite, en, signify made, made of or like, possessed 
of; as, globate, erudite, silken. 

{e) Anty ent, ate, ite, ast, ist, ado, ard, on, oso, ar, ary, iary^ 



33^, COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

er, ee^ eer, ier, or^ ive, sfer, fiei\ yer, zen^ isan, an, tan, tain^ 
signify one, who, a person; as, servant, president, collegiate, 
favorite, encomiast, botanist, desperado, dotard, glutton, 
virtuoso, beggar, adversary, incendiary, payer, payee, chari- 
oteer, cannonier, executor, executive, teamster, partner, 
lawyer, citizen, artisan, veteran, grammarian, chieftain. 

{/) EsSy ix, ine, ago, signify a female; as, lioness, medi- 
atrix, heroine, virago. 

Ks) ^^> ^^y') ^j C^j ^^5 ^'^'^j '^^^^1 tude, itude, ness, t, th, mony, 
signify the quality or state of being, the thing which or 
that which; as, publicity, variety, novelty, privacy, opu- 
lence, justice, quietude, plentitude, exactitude, meekness, 
restraint, truth, sanctimony. 

{h) Ion, ment, ament, iment, ure, ture, ature, iture, al, ade, 
signify the act of; that which; as, erection, ejectment, 
armament, impediment, pressure, mixture, signature, ex- 
penditure, refusal, cannonade. 

(/) Al, eal, iai, ual, em, urn, iac, ic, tic, atic, etic, id, an, 
ean, ian, a7ie, ine, He, eth, th, ar, ary, iary, uary, signify per- 
taining, belonging, or relating to; as, central, corporeal, 
dictatorial, habitual, southern, taciturn, demoniac, patriotic, 
dyspeptic, emblematic, dietetic, stupid, Roman, marmo- 
rean, Newtonian, mundane, crystalline, infantile, fortieth, 
tenth, columnar, missionary, stipendiary, sumptuary. 

(/') Ose, ous, eous, ious, uous, ceous, aceoiis, aneons, oneous, 
itious, ful, ey, y, signify full of, abounding in, having the 
nature or quality of ; as, verbose, mountainous, righteous, 
robustious, tempestuous, cetaceous, lardaceous, instanta- 
neous, erroneous, cementitious, hopeful, clayey, juicy. 

{k) Kin, ling, ule, cule, cle, icle, ock, et, let, aster, signify 
little, small, minute, slight, petty; as, lambkin, kingling, 
globule, animalcule, tubercle, particle, hillock,, feveret, 
ringlet, poetaster. 

(/) Ics signifies the doctrine, art or science of ; as, optics. 

{ni) Ism signifies that which is peculiar to; a doctrine,' 
a state, or condition; as, savagism, Calvinism. 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY AND PHONOLOGY. 331 

(«) Er signifies more ; as, wiser, more wise. 

(<?) ^j-/ signifies most; as, wisest, most wise. 

(/) Dom, ric, ate, hood, ship, age, cy, ry, signify the state, 
rank, office of, or the territory of jurisdiction of; as. Pope- 
dom, bishopric, electorate, childhood, township, peerage, 
captaincy, chieftainry. 

(^) Y, ry, ary, ery, ory, signify the art, practice, or busi- 
ness of, or the place where; as gluttony, bigotry, statuary, 
cookery, armory. 

99. After ascertaining the syllabication of a word, what is 
to be observed'} 

The location of the accent. 

100. When two accents occur in the same word, which 
jisually precedes the other? 

The secondary nearly always precedes the primary. 

loi. Do words ever have more than two accents'? 
Some very long words have two secondary accents. 

102. What is the rule for accent of a word of two syllables? 

With the exception of amen, they never have more than 
one accent. 

103. What is the rule with compound words? 

Each part retains its own accent, the same as two dis- 
tinct words. 

104. What is the rule where words change their parts of 
speech from verbs to fiouns or adjectives? 

When used as verbs the accent is usually on the last 
syllable, but when used as nouns or adjectives, on the first 
syllable. 

105. Where is the accent when words end in sion (?rtion? 
The accent is on the penult, or syllable next to the 

last. 



332 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

1 06. Words ending in ical or acal place the accent on what 
syllable ? 

Generally on the syllable next preceding this termina- 
tion. 

107. What is a final letter? 
The last in a word. 

T08. What is the power 0/ a letter? 
The elementary sound which it represents, 
log. What does the differeiice of accent sometimes do? 
It changes the meaning of the word; as, Au' gust, the 
eighth month; august', grand, majestic. 

110. Name the kinds of spelling. 

There are three kinds: phonic, oral and written. 

111. What is phonetic spelling? 
Spelling by sound. 

EXERCISES IN ABBREVIATIONS USED IN WRITING. 

Write out in full: Abbreviate: 

A. A. S. In the year of our Lord. 

G. C. B. Member of Congress. 

C. P. S. Before Christ. 

Nom. No. Keeper of the Seal. 

I. H. S. Justice of the Peace. 

A. B. or B. A. House of Representatives. 

Col. Coll. As if he would say. 

Min. Plen. Blessed Virgin. 

N. J. N. H. In the same place. 

Q. E. F. No one dissenting. 

Qr. Qt. Which was to be demonstrated 

Rt. Rev. A sufficient quantity. 

S. A. R. R. For the time being. 

Sec. Leg. Doctor of Divinity. 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY AND PHONOLOGY. 1>Z1 



Write out in full: 

V. P. vs. 

Nov. N. S. 

Do. or Ditto. 

H. B. M. 

M. B. M. D. 

Acct. A. B. S. 

E. J. e. g. 

U. T. Vt. 

C. S. A. Yd. 

S. E. N. W. 

Zool. Pwt. 

N. T. N. Y. 

111. Ind. 

A. M. Md. 

M. P. Neb. 

Co. Am. 

Com. Feb. 

Wm. Wt. 

Wis. Vt. 

O. S. Oct. 

P. O. Pop. 

U. S. A. Viz. 

P. pp. Oz. 

Va. V. Wed. 

N. E. Ky. Kans. 

Feb. Fahr. Cal. 

G. B. N. C. Neh. 

Tim. Sp. Sam. 

Rep. Rev. S. 

La. lbs. Fem. 

Id. i. e. Gen. 

Mt. N. A. Miss. 

Hhd. Hist. Gov. 

Hdkf. Cr. Dft 



Abbreviate: 

Superintendent. 

New Testament. 

A hundred-weight. 

District of Columbia. 

Bachelor of Divinity. 

And so forth. 

See; refer to. 

United States Ndvy. 

The last, or last month. 

West Indies. 

By the hundred. 

Attorney. 

Unknown. 

Manuscripts. 

Doctor of Laws. 

Love of learning. 

Right Honorable. 

Old Testament. 

To-wit; namely. 

Postmaster; afternoon. 

Take notice. 

Rhode Island. 

Parliament. 

Gentlemen; Sirs. 

Fellow of the Royal Society. 

Professor; President. 

Texas; Territory. 

Postscript; Regiment. 

Mademoiselle; Major. 

Italy; Hundred; Dozen. 

Fellow of the Society of Art& 

Assistant; Junior. 

Cash on delivery. 

Thursday; Schooner. 



334 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 



Write out in full: 

4to. LL. D. 8vo. 
Sat. S. C. W. 
Inst. Int. lo. 
Dist. Diet. Cyc, 
Long. L. Lat. 
Minn. Mad. Masc. 
Gent. Fur. Ft. 
Jam. Inter. Dr. 
Conj. Agt. Al. 
E. Deut. Dea. 
Hon. Gr. U. S. 
Cor. Adj. Anon. 
Capt, Chron. C. 
No Myth. Mo. 



Abbreviate: 

Volume; Philadelphia. 
Geology; Louisiana. 
Place of the Seal. 
Meridian; Thousand. 
Legislature; Lieutenant. 
Long Island; Matthew. 
Executor; Barrel; Adverb. 
Mistress; Servant; Democrat. 
Alderman; Amount; Editor. 
Esquire; Geometry; History. 
Constable; Constitution. 
Chapter; Capitals; Avenue. 
Mexico; Michigan; Minnesota. 
Memorandum; Maine. 



ONE HUNDRED WORDS OFTEN MISSPELLED. 



abatable 

abbess 

abbot 

abbreviate 

abdomen 

access 

absence 

acclimate 

advice 

alcohol 

almanac 

analysis 

axiom 

balance 

battalion 

bayonet 

beneficence 

bestial 

bevel 

bicycle 

biennial 



blissful 

bouillon 

bouquet 

burglar 

caliber 

calisthenics 

calliope 

Canaan 

cancel 

candor 

capillary 

caterpillar 

carrot 

camphor 

chisel 

coalesce 

daffodil 

debtor 

decisive 

delirious 

deuce 



diphtheria 

ebullition 

effervescence 

efflorescence 

ellipse 

enamel 

encyclical 

envelope 

euchre 

eying 

faker 

fiance (man) 

fiancee (woman) 

flageolet 

forehead 

fuchsia 

fallacy 

gallery 

geyser 

gingham 

ginseng 



ORTHOGRAPHY, ORTHOEPY AND PHONOLOGY. 335 



gizzard 


knuckle 




parachute 


heifer 


larynx 




parcel 


hemorrhage 


lattice 




quinsy 


heresy- 


lettuce 




regatta 


holiday 


mailable 




rifErafE 


hollyhock 


malice 




salary 


horizon 


meerschaum 


saucily 


hypocrisy 


noticeable 




surcingle 


illicit 


occurrence 


tailless 


indelible 


opossum 




vacuum 


inning 


overalls 




wholly 


January 


palate 




witch-hazel 


knock 








ONE HUNDRED 


WORDS 


OFTEN 


MISPRONOUNCE 


ab-do'-men 




Feb'-ru-a-ry 


ac-cli'-mate 




fiancee 


(fe-an-sa') 


a-cous-tics (a-kdbs'- 


■tics) 


forehead (for'-ed) 


ad'-mir-a-ble 




ge-ner' 


-ic 


ad'-verse 




gra'-tis 




ad'-verse-ly 




ho-mo- 


ge-ne'-i-ty 


ad'-ver-tise 




hy-me-ne'-al 


al-lop'-a-thy 




il-lus'-trate 


al-ly' (alii') 




im'-p6- 


tent 


bal-brig'-gan 




in-un'- 


date 


bal-mor'-al 




joc'-un 


d (jok'-und) 


Bar-tim-e'-us 




ju'-ve-nile (ju'-ve-nil) 


Be-el'-ze-bub 




ket-tle 


(ket'-l) 


Ber-ni'-ce 




lam'-en-ta-ble 


brig'-and 




La-od-: 


i-cea ( La-ou-ia-e'-a)j 


Car-neg'-ie 




la'tent 




ca-si-no (ca-se'-no) 




laugh (laf) 


Dan'-i-el 




Leicester (les'-ter) 


deb-u-tante ( da-bu-tong' ) 


le-thar' 


'-gic 


de-mo-ni'-ac-al 




liaison 


(le-a-zon') 


dis'-pu-tant 




Lin-ne 


-an (lin-e'-an) 


do-main' 




lith-6g' 


ra-pher 


employe (em-ploy-i 


a') 


livelon 


g (liv'-long) 


en-gine (en- gin) 




Lo-di 


(Lo'-de) 


ex'-em-pla-ry 




long-lived' 


ex'-qui-site 




loth 





336 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 



Ly-ce-um (ll-se'-um) 

magna charta (magna kar'ta) 

Ma-lay (ma-la') 

malpractice (mal-prak-tis) 

mandamus ( man-da' -mus) 

maniacal (ma-ni'-ak-al) 

Ma-o-ri (ma'-o-re) 

mas-cu-line (mas'-ku-lin> 

mas-sa-cre (mas'-sa-ker) 

ma'-tron 

mech'-an-ist 

me-lange (ma-lanzh') 

me-lee (ma-la') 

men-in-gi'-tis 

meow (mu') 

mes-mer-ize (mez'-mer-iz) 

mien (men) 

mi-rage (me-razh') 

mis'-chiev-ous 

mo-diste (mo-dest') 

mus-tache' 

nape (nap) 

ner-vine (ner'-vin) 

Nice (nes) 

none (nun) 



O-de'-on 

6p-p6'-nent 

or-chid (or'-kid) 

Pall-Mall (pel-mel) 

par'-ent 

pas'-tel 

pa'-thos 

pa'-tri-ot 

pa-trol' 

per-i-to-ni'-tis 

pe-tite (pe-tet') 

quay ( ke ) 

ra-pa'-cious 

rec-i-ta-tive' 

ref'-er-a-ble 

re-gime (ra-zhem') 

rep'-a-ra-ble 

re-sume (ra-zoo-ma') 

rev'-o-ca-to-ry 

ro-mance (ro-mans') 

sa-ga'-cious 

sesame (ses'-a-me) 

suite (swet) 

te-leph'-o-ny 

vaudeville (vod'-vil) 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



WRITING. 



1. Define writing. 

The art of expressing thought in legible characters; in 
the broadest sense, the use of a form for the conveyance of 
meaning. 

2. What are the principal subjects to zvhich attention 
should be given in teaching or learning the art ofwritingl 

Position; manner of holding pen; movement; form; 
rate; spacing and shading. 

3. How many positions are commendable^ and what are 
they? 

Four: the "left," the "front," the "right-oblique" and 
the "right." 

4. Describe the ^^'■leff position. 

One sits or stands with the left side inclined toward the 
desk, the left arm lying on the book or paper, the weight of 
the body supported mainly by the left side and right arm, 
the book or paper at right angles to the desk. 

5. Under what circumstances is the left position generally 
used, and with advantage? 

When writing in large books, or when it is impossible of 
"nconvenient to turn the paper obliquely. 

337 



338 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

6» Describe the '■'■frunf'^ position. 

One sits or stands directly facing the desk, near it, bul 
not leaning over it ; the forearms both on the desk and 
nearly at right angles to each other, the left holding in 
place the book or paper, which should be inclined so that 
the lines meet the right forearm at right angles. 

7. What particular advantage has the front position ? 
The weight of the body is not thrown to either side; 

hence this position is best adapted to resist fatigue of the 
bodily muscles. 

8. Describe the '■'■ right-oblique''^ position. 

One sits or stands with the right side inclined toward 
the desk, the right forearm resting wholly on the desk, the 
left partly so and the copy placed obliquely on the desk. 
The weight of the head and shoulders is thrown on the 
left side. 

g. Describe the *^ right" position. 

One sits or stands with the right side turned to the desk 
but not in contact with it, the right forearm as well as the 
copy being on the desk parallel with its edge, and the copy 
held in place by the fingers of the left hand. 

10. What special caution should be kept in view in each 
and all of the before-mentioned positions? 

To keep the body erect and by no means to permit *Ke 
head to drop forward over the paper. 

11. Describe the manner of holding the pen. 

The manner most common among business men and 
taught in most of our commercial colleges, is that rec- 
ommended by Mr. Spencer: holding the pen between 
the first two fingers and thumb, the holder crossing the 
forefinger in front of the knuckle-joint and the second 
finger at the root of the nail; the end of the thumb touch- 
ing the holder opposite the lower joint of the first finger; 



WRITING. 



339 



the other fingers separate from the first two at the middle 
joint and curved so that the ends of the nails rest upon 
the paper. 

12. What is meant by movement^ 

The proper motion of the muscles of the shoulder, arm 
and hand in writing. 

13. How many kinds of movement are usually employed 
in writifigl 

Two: the combined and the whole-arm. 

14. Describe each. 

The combined movement is the motion of the muscles of 
the forearm and fingers together, resting upon the elbow 
and the nails of the third and fourth fingers; this is used in 
ordinary writing. The whole-arm movement is a motion 
-of the muscles of the whole arm and shoulder, resting upon 
the nails of the third and fourth fingers and upon the point 
of the pen; this is used in making large capitals and 
flourishes, and in blackboard exercise. The wrist joint 
should in all cases be kept free. 

15. What is meant by form ? 

The exact shape and appearance of a character, repre- 
senting a thought preconceived in the mind. 

16. In what manner does a careful study of ioxxfx. aid in 
making a good penman ? 

The mind directs the action of the muscles, and, a? 
writing is a result of muscular action, the mind must have 
a clear, concise and ready conception of what it wishes the 
muscles to do before the action can be realized. 

17. What is a line? 

The path left by a point moving in any direction. 

18. How many kinds of lines are used in writing? 

Two: straight and curved. A straight line is the path 



34° COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

of a point moving in but one direction; a curved line is 
the path of a point constantly changing its direction. 

19. How many kinds of curves are used in writing^ 

Two: right and left. A right curve bends to the right 
of a straight line connecting its extremities, while a left 
curve bends to the left, 

20. Define horizontal^ vertical atid oblique lines. 

A horizontal line is one parallel to the horizon; a 
vertical line is one at right angles to the horizon; an 
oblique line is one which is neither horizontal nor vertical. 

21. When are lines parallel? 

When they are equi-distant from each other throughout 
their entire length. 

22. What is meant by the base line, the head line, and 
the top line? 

The line upon which the letter rests is the base line. 
The line, real or imaginary, which bounds the height of the 
small letters, or those but one space in height, is the head 
line. The line which bounds the height of the extended 
letters, or those three spaces in height, is the top line. 

23. What is an angle! 

The space between two lines meeting in a point. 

24. How many kinds are used in writing? 

Two: right and acute. A right angle is formed by one 
right line meeting another perpendicularly. An acute angle 
is one smaller than a right angle. 

25. What is a degree? 

A 360th part of the circumference of a circle. 

26. What is meant by a slant 0/^2° or of 30° ? 

If from the centre of a circle a vertical and horizontal 
line be drawn to meet the circumference, and the smaller of 



WRITING. 341 

the two arcs thus made be divided into ninety equal parts 
or degrees, a line drawn from the centre of the circle to a 
point on this arc 52° from where the arc meets the 
horizontal line, is said to be on a slant of 52°. One drawn 
similarly from a point 30° above the horizontal is said to 
have a slant of 30°. 

27. What is meant by a main slant and a connecting 
slant! 

A main slant is a slant of 52°, so called because the main 
or downward strokes of written letters have this slant. A 
connecting slant is a slant of 30°, so called because it is 
generally used in upward or connecting strokes. 

28. In how many ways are the strokes of the pen united in 
forming letters ? 

Three: by angular juncture, as in the upper part of the 
small i; by short curves, as at the base of the small i; and 
by oval turns, as in the large O. 

29. What are the units for measuring the height and width 
of letters 1 

The height of the small i, commonly called a space, is the 
unit of height. The horizontal distance between the two 
straight lines in the letter u is the unit of width. 

30. What letters are but one space in heighfi 
a, c, e, i, m, n, 0, u, v, w and x. 

31. What is the height ofx and s ? 
One and one-fourth spaces. 

32. A part of what other letter has a similar heightt 
The final part, or small oval of the letter k, 

33. What -'s the height oft, d and p ? 
Two spaces. 

34. How far do p and q extend below the line t 
One and one-half spaces. 



342 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

35. What letters exterid two spaces below the line? 
/, g, /» y and s. 

36. What letters extend three spaces above the linef 
b, f, h^ k, I, and all the capitals. 

37. What is meant by principles? 

Lines of a certain and established form, by combinations 
of which all letters may be formed. 

38. What is the object of the study and practise oj 
principles, as such, when learning to write? 

I. To simplify the forms of letters. 2. To teach both 
mind and muscle this simplified form. 3. To give a stand- 
ard for uniformity. 4. To educate the taste to more 
pleasing proportions in the parts of letters. 

39. In what other way may we assist the mind in obtain- 
ing a true idea or picture of the form of letters! 

By analysis. 

40. What is meant by the analysis of letters? 

To analyze a letter is to name the separate principles 
employed in its construction, and to state their position 
and manner of connection. 

41. Where should we begin and end in forming the small 
letters? 

We should begin on the base line always, and end one 
space above the base line. 

42. What capitals should begin ttiree spaces above the base 
line ? 

A, E, M, N, O. 

43. Which should begin on the base line? 

C, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, Q, S, U, V, W, X, Y, Z. 



WRITING. 



343 



44. Which are begun less than three spaces above the base 
line ? 

B, F, P, R, T, which begin two and one-half spaces 
above the base line. D begins two spaces above. 

45. What is meant by spacing? 

Leaving a proper distance between letters, words or 
sentences. 

46. What distance should be allowed between letters in a 
word? 

One and one-fourth spaces. 

47. To what distance is the connecting line carried in 
writing letters with a, d, g (7r q ? 

Two spaces from the last straight line of the connecting 
letter. Write the words, name, cinque, and notice the 
required distance from the bottom of the downward stroke 
of n to the connecting point of a and q. 

48. When an oval is joined to a straight line, as in on, 
from what point is the measurement taken? 

From the middle of the oval to the straight line of the 
following letter. 

49. When an oval is joined to an oval, as in 00, how is 
the measurement taketi ? 

From the middle of first oval to the left side of second 
oval. 

50. What distance is allowed between a capital and the 
first curve of the small letter following it, where the capital 
does not join with the small letter? 

One-fourth space, recrossing from the base of the capital 
letter. 

51. What distance is allowed between capitals used as 
initial letters? 

One space. 



344 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

52. What distance is allowed between words 1 
Two spaces. 

53. What distance is allowed when the following word 

begins with a capiiall 

The extreme left point of the capital should be one and 
one-half spaces from the last downward stroke of the 
preceding word. 

54. When one word ends with a right curve and the next 
begins with a left, or vice versa, what space is left? 

Between the straight lines, two and one-third spaces; 
between the curves, one and one-third spaces; between the 
final downward stroke of the first and the beginning of the 
curve for the next word, one and one-half spaces. 

55. What distance is allowed between sentences i 
Thi-ee spaces. 

56. What distance is allowed between figures'} 
One-third of a space, 

57. What is meant by shading! 

A proper use of light and heavy strokes, the latter 
formed by a gently-increasing pressure upon the points of 
the pen, which is held and moved so that the pressure is 
constantly alike on both points, until the middle of the 
stroke to be shaded is reached, and the pressure then 
released as gently as it was increased until the stroke is 
complete. 

58. What letters should not ordinarily be shaded? 

All the letters only one space high except a, which 
should receive a slight shade on the first downward curve. 

59. Where should the shade occur in t and d? 

The heaviest shade should be at the top of the last 
downward stroke. 



WRITING, 345 

60. How should -g be shaded? 

The shade should begin at the base line and gradually be 
increased to the end of the downward stroke. 

61. How should i be shaded! 

Only on that part of the downward stroke which is 
below the line. 

62. Where should the shade occur in b and 1, h andVi 

In b and /, on the lower half of the first downward stroke 
In h and ky on the last downward stroke only. 

63. When two or more letters requiring similar shading 
occur together, what rule should be observed] 

The last should receive but half as much shade as the 
first one. 

64. Which capital letters should be shaded on the first 
curve and which on the second] 

A, C, D, E, O, Q, on the first ; H, Z, Q, U, V, W, Y, on 
the second. 

65. Which should receive shade on the capital stem] 
A, B, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T. 

66. What letters receive shading below the base line] 
f and / only. 

67 . What are figures ? 
Characters to represent numbers. 

68. How are figures formed] 

The same as letters, from a combination of straight and 
curved lines according to set principles. 

69. What is the height of figures] 

One and one-half spaces, except the 6, which is two 
spaces in height. 



346 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

70. On what slant are figures written! 
A slant of 52°. 

71. How far do the figures 7 and g extend below the line^ 
One and one-half spaces. 

72. What is the width of the figure s'i 

They are all one space in width, measured at the widest 
part, except the i and o; the o is but one space in width. 

73. Where is the stroke begun forming the figures i 
At the upper extremity. 



WRITING. 
SHORT LETTERS. 



347 





DIRECT OV-^'LETTERS 

7W7 





fr 






348 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

REVERSED OVAL LETTEHS. 





^^^^^<^^€:.^ C^^^^-^c^:^^^:^^^;^ 




WRITING. 349 







35° COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 



6 




QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR, 



1. What is English grammar 1 

The art of speaking amd writing the English language 
correctly. 

2. What is the object of studying grammarl 

To be able to understand, speak, and write a language 
correctly. 

3. What is language i 

Any method of communicating thought or feeling. 

4. What can yoJi say of the composition of language ? 
It is of two kinds, prose and verse. 

5. Into what parts is grammar divided? 
Pronunciation, orthography, etymology, syntax and 

prosody. 

6. Of what does pronunciation treat? 
Of the sounds of letters and syllables. 

7. Define etymology. 

It treats of the different parts of speech, their derivation 
and modification. 

8. Of what does syntax treat? 

Of the arrangement and relation of words in sentences 

351 



352 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

9. Of what does prosody treat? 

Of versification, punctuation, figures and utterance. 

10. What is the basis of grammar 7 
The usage of the best authors. 

11. Of what does language consist 1 

Of sounds which, combined, form words which represeat 

ideas. 

12. Ho7V are words classified, and on what grounds f 

As nouns when they are names of beings, places or 
things ; 

As pronouns when they are substitutes for names or facts* 

As adjectives when they qualify or limit names; 

As verbs when they assert action, being or condition; 

As adverbs when they modify an assertion or a quality, 

As prepositions when they express relations of things or 
of thought; 

As conjunctions when they introduce or connect words 
and sentences; 

As exclamations when they express a sudden or intense 
emotion; and 

As words of euphony when they are used for rhetorical 
effect. 

13. By what general name are the different dasses ofwordi 
called? , . 

Parts of speech. 

14. How are the nouns divided^ 
Into proper and common. 

15. How are common nouns again divided t V. 
Into collective, abstract and verbal. • :, 

16. What is a collective noun? 

One that denotes a group or number of objects. 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR:^ 353 

17. What is an abstract noun? 

The name of some quality of a substance. 

18. What is a participial nounf 

A participle or infinitive used as a noun. 

19. When does a proper noun become a common nounf 
When it is used to denote a whole class; as, "The Wash- 
ing tons of the world are few." 

20. When does a common noun become proper? 

When personified, or used as a proper noun; as, "Come, 
gentle Spring!" 

20a. In parsing a noun how would you proceed? 

First give its gender, then its person, number and case, 
then the position in the sentence which it occupies. 

Example: William's house is built on the high hills. 

House is neuter gender, third person, singular number, nominative 
case, and used as the subject of the sentence. 

Hills is neuter gender, third person, plural number, objective case, 
and used as the object of the preposition on. 

William's is masculine gender, third person, singular number posses- 
sive c^se, and used as the possessor of house. 

21. What is the office of a pronounf 
To avoid the repetition of nouns. 

22. What is the antecedent of a pronounf 

The word, phrase or clause which the pronoun represents. 

23. What is the subsequent of a pronounf 
Interrogatives or relatives of the interrogative kind, when 

they are used in asking questions, have no antecedents, but 
relate to some word or phrase contained in the answer, which 
is called the subsequent. 

24. What is the difference between antecedent and subse- 
quent? 

The antecedent signifies that which goes before, the sub- 
sequent that which follows. 

25. Into what classes are pronouns divided? 
Personal, relative, interrogative and adjective. 



354: COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

26. What is a personal pronounf 
One which distinguishes the persons. 

27. Name the personal pronouns. 

I J thou or you, he, she and it, with their compounds and de- 
clined forms, are the personal pronouns. 

28. Where are thou, thy, thine, thee and ye used? 

In the Bible and addresses to the Deity, in the conversation 
and correspondence of certain religious sects, and often in 
poetry and romance. 

29. In parsing, what disposition should be made of the 
pronouns ours, yours, hers, theirs and mine? 

As these words are equivalent to a noun and pronoun, 
the parsing should correspond with the words which they 
represent. 

30. What is the peculiarity about the pronoun it? 

The antecedent of it is sometimes considered lost, when 
the pronoun denotes merely the state or condition of things, 
or a point of time, or when it introduces a sentence and is 
explained; as, "It rains"; "It is twelve o'clock"; "It was 
moonlight"; "It is mean to take advantage of another's dis- 
tress." Some authors consider it in the above examples as 
having no antecedents, yet, if we observe closely, there may 
be one somewhat remote; as, in the first example, we might 
use clouds for the antecedent; in the second example, time; 
in the third, night; and in the last, act, as, "The act is 
mean," etc. 

31. What is a compound personal pronounf 

My, thy, your, him, her, or it, compounded with self to 
form the singular; and our, your, and them, compounded 
with selves to form the plural. 

32. What is a relative pronoun? 

A pronoun which joins a descriptive clause to its ante- 
cedent. 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 355 

33. To what are the relatives who and which applied? 
JVho is applied to persons only; which to persons or 

things. 

34. How is the relative what used? 

What is used in place of that which or things which, and 
may denote persons or things. 

35. When is as a relative pronoun? When is the word 
that? 

When it is preceded by such, rnany, or same, and relates 
to the objects thus specified. That is a relative pronoun 
when it is equivalent to who, whom or which. 

36. What pronoun is used when the antecedent is supplied? 
The pronoun which. 

37. What are the compound relative pronouns? 
Who, which, and what, with ever and soever annexed. 

38. What is an interrogative pronoun? 
One used to ask a question. 

39. What is a responsive, or indirect interrogative 
pronoun? 

One used indirectly as an interrogative; as, "Tell me 
what truth is." 

40. What are adjective pronouns, and how are they 
divided? 

Adjectives sometimes used as pronouns. They are divided 
into four classes: distributive, demonstrative, indefinite, and 
reciprocal. 

41. To what do distributive pronouns relate? 

To objects taken singly. They are each, either, and 
neither. 

42. What IS the difference between the demonstrative and 
indefinite pronouns? 

The demonstrative pronouns point out objects definitely, 
while the indefinite relate to objects indefinitely. The 
demonstratives are this, these, that, those, same, former. 



356 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

latter. The indefinites are one^ ones, other, others, any, 
some, such, all, both, and none. 

43. What do reciprocal pronouns denotel 

They have the same signification, and consequently are 
convertible, and may be used for each other. 

44. How should either, neither, each other, a?id one 
another be used? 

In speaking of two, either, neither and each other should 
be used ; but in speaking of more than two, one another. 

45. How should this and that be used? 

That should be applied to the more distant, the first 
mentioned, or the absent; this, to the nearer, the last men- 
tioned, or the present. 

46. What properties have nouns and pronouns t 
Gender, person, number and case. 

47. When are objects personified? 

When they are regarded as persons. Nouns sometimes 
acquire gender by personification. 

48. In personified objects, 7vhen is the masculine gender 
preferred? 

When the character of the object denotes size, power or 
domineering qualities; as, "The Sun seemed shorn of his 
beams." "Lo, steel-clad War his gorgeous standard rears.'' 

49. When is the feminine gender preferred? 

When the character of the object is noted for beauty, 
amiability, productiveness or submission, as "Soon Peace 
shall come with all her smiling train." The earth, the 
moon, a ship, when personified, are given the feminine gender. 

50. What are the methods of distinguishing the two sexes? 
By different words, by different endings, and by a dis 

tinguishing word; as, father, mother; emperor, empress 
■!Kfl!«-servant, maid-stxvz.ViX.. 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 357 

51. When and how are proper nouns made plural? 
When they refer to a class of the same character, they 

are made plural by adding s when it does not coalesce in 
sound, otherwise es; as, the Cherokees; the Napoleons; 
the Van Nesses. 

52. What class of nouns is generally used in the singular 
number? How may they be used in the plural 1 

The names of substances, actions, states, qualities, arts, 
sciences and diseases, when they refer to the kind of thing; 
but when different kinds are meant they are plural; as, 
wine, ivines; tea, teas; fever, fevers; religioft, religions. 

53. When is a collective noun singular! When plural? 
When the whole group is regarded as one thing, it is 

singular, but plural when different groups are meant, or 
when it refers to the individuals composing a group; as, 
the army is large ; the armies are moving ; the congregation 
owns a church; the congregations are of various national- 
ities; most people are eager to succeed. 

54. How are most nouns made plural? 

By adding s to the singular; but those ending in i, o, u, 
y, preceded by a consonant, or in s, x, z, sh, and soft ch, 
add es. 

55. What is the origin of the use of the possessive sign 's? 
It is the abbreviation of the old English ending es or is; 

the sign ( ' ) being called an apostrophe, because it indi- 
cates the omission of the e or /. 

56. How are most compound words made plural? 

By making plural that part described by the rest; as 
mouse-traps, cupfuls. 

57. How are the titles Mr., Mrs., Miss and Dr. made 
plural? 

Mr., Dr. and Miss are made plural by annexations; aa 



35^ COMMON- SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Messrs., Drs., Misses. When the title is Mrs., or when a 
numeral stands before the title, the title is made plural ; as, 
the Mesdames Brown, the two Misses Smith. 

58. How is the plural of foreign nouns formed? 

Most of them retain their foreign plurals when used in 
the English language. 

59. How are classic words ending in a, us, um or on, is, 
X or ex changed to form the plural? 

When the ending is a, it is changed to cb or ata, us is 
changed to /, um or on to a, is to es or ides, x or ex to ces 
or cies. 

60. Form the plural of the following words: Formula, 
larva, nebula, vertebra, focus, radius, sarcophagus, stimulus, 
phenome7ion, datum, analysis, synthesis, axis, basis, crisis, 
emphasis, oasis, parettthesis, thesis. 

Formulae, larvae, nebulae, vertebrae, foci, radii, sarcophagi, 
stimuli, phenomena, data, analyses, syntheses, axes, bases, 
crises, emphases, oases, parentheses, theses. 

61. How are letters and figures made plural i 
By annexing 'j/ as, the Hs; the j'j^. 

62. What is enallage as used in grammar? 

A change of words, or a substitution of one gender, 
number, case, person, tense, mode or voice of the same 
word, for another. 

63. What is case? Name the cases. 

That property of nouns and pronouns which shows 
their relation to other words. The cases are nominative, 
possessive, and objective. 

64. When is a noun or pronoun used in particular cases? 
It is used in the nominative when it is the subject of a 

verb; in the objective when it is the object of a verb or 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 359 

preposition; and in the possessive when it denotes 
possession. 

65. When is a noun or pronoun used independently'} 

In direct address: ^*John, your father is here." In 
exclamation: "Alas, poor Yorick/'^ In pleonasm or 
specification: ^^He that hath ears, let him hear." 

66. Ilo7V is the possessive case usually denoted? 

By adding s in the singular number, and putting the 
apostrophe after the s in the plural. 

67. How can the possessive case be expressed without the 
apostrophe! 

By using of; as, "The death of Socrates." 

68. When are two terms in apposition^ and when is one 
predicated by the other! In what must these terms agree! 

When a verb joins the terms, one is predicated of the 
other; as, "He is president." When no verb joins them, 
the latter term is in apposition with the former; as, 
"Webster, the orator." These terms must agree in case. 

69. How is a compound term expressed in the possessive 
case ! 

It takes the possessive sign but once; generally at the 
end, or next to the name of the object possessed; as, "The 
court martiaV s decision," ^^ Daniel Webster's oration." 

70. When is a noun or pronoun in the same case as 
another! 

When it denotes the same person or thing. 

71. In how many cases are compound personal pronouns 
used! 

Only in the nominative and objective cases, and then 
they retain the same form. 

72. Decline v^^io, which, what, and ih.zX'i 
Nominative who^ possessive whose, objective whom; 



360 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

which and what have the same form in the nominative and 
objective, but borrow whose for their possessive. That is 
not declined. 

73. When may that have two cases? 

When it is a relative, and equivalent to that which. 

74. What is declension? 

A regular arrangement of the grammatical properties of 
a noun or pronoun. 

Example: Who came here? Decline who. 

Interrogative pronoun, common gender, third person, singular num- 
ber, nominative case, being the subject of the sentence. 
Example: To whom did you give my book? 

Whom is an interrogative pronoun, common gender, third person, 
singular number, objective case, being object of the preposition to. 
My is a personal pronoun, common gender, first person, singular 
number, possessive case, being the possessor of book. 

75. How are the articles the, a, and an used? 

The is used to point out a particular one, object or class; 
a or an, to show that no particular one of a class is meant. 

76. Why are both a and an called the indefinite article? 
Because they have the same meaning. A is used when 

the next word begins with a consonant sound; an, when the 
next word begins with a vowel sound. 

77. What is an adjective? 

A word used to qualify or limit the meaning of a noun 
or pronoun. 

78. How are the adjectives divided? 
Into descriptive and definitive. 

79. Define each class. 

The descriptive adjective describes or qualifies; the defini- 
tive specifies or limits. 

80. Into what smaller classes are adjectives divided? 

Into common, proper, numeral, pronominal, participial 
and compound. 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 361 

81. Define a common adjective. 

The common adjective expresses quality. 

82. Define a proper adjective. 

A proper adjective is one derived from a proper name. 

83. What is a participial adjective? 
A participle used as an adjective. 

84. What is a compound adjective? 

A compound word used as an adjective. 

85. What is a numeral adjective? 
One that expresses number. 

86. How are the numeral adjectives divided? 
Into cardinal, ordinal, multiplicative, and indefinite. 

87. Give examples of each class. 

The cardinals are onej tivo, etc. ; the ordinals, firstj second, 
etc.; the multiplicative, single, double; the indefinite, few, 
many. 

88. What is a pronominal adjective? 
One sometimes used as a pronoun. 

89. Into what classes are pronominal adjectives divided. 
The distributive, the demonstrative and the indefinite. 

90. What modifications have adjectives? 
Number and comparison. 

91. What is a comparison? 

A variateon in the form of adjectives and adverbs to 
denote different degrees of meaning. 

92. How many degrees are there? 

Three: positive, comparative and superlative. 



362 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

93. Define the respective degrees. 

The positive degree expresses the quality of the adjective; 
the comparative expresses the quality in a higher or lower 
degree; the superlative expresses the quality in the highest 
or lov^^est degree. 

94. What parts of speech have comparison? 
Adjectives and adverbs. 

95. How are degrees below the positive expressed? 
Usually by adding less and least. 

96. When should more or most be preferred in comparison? 
Usually w^ith adjectives of more than two syllables, or 

those of two syllables that do not end in le or y. 

97. What is the difference between comparison ascending 
and comparison descending? 

One expands in volume of expression, or grows greater in 
its comparison, while the other decreases with the prefixes 
less and least. 

98. When are adjectives redundant? 

When they have more than one form for the superlative; 
as, near, nearer, nearest or next. 

99. When adjectives of one syllable and those of several 
syllables come together, which are placed first and how are 
they compared? 

The monosyllables are placed first, and all are compared 
by prefixing 7nore and most; as, "The more nice and elegant 
parts." 

100. Must adjectives always agree with their substantives 
in number? 

Yes, although the substantive is not always expressed. 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 3^3 

lOi. When does an adjective become a noun? 
When it is used abstractly, or in place of a noun of which 
it expresses quality; as, the briny deep, the good. 

loia. In parsing an adjective what order should you 
pursue? 

First give the kind of an adjective, then the degree of com- 
parison (if it can be compared), then what it limits. 

Example: That tall man gave my youngest sister five apples. 
That is a demonstrative adjective and limits the noun man. 
Tall is a descriptive adjective, positive degree, limiting the noun man. 
Youngest is a descriptive adjective, superlative degree, limiting the 

noun sister. 
Five is a quantitative adjective, limiting the noun apples. 

102. What is a verb? A regular verb? An irregular verb? 

A verb is a word used to state the act or state of the sub- 
ject. A regular verb is one that forms its past tense by add- 
ing ed ', an irregular verb does not add ed. 

103. What are the principal parts of a verb? 

The present tense, past tense, present participle, and per- 
fect participle. 

104. Why are these called the principal parts? 

By means of these and the auxiliary verbs all the other 
parts of the verb can be formed. 

105. What is a redundant verb? A defective verb? A 
finite verb? 

A redundant verb Is one which has more than one form 
for some of its principal parts. A defective verb is wanting 
in some of its principal parts. A finite verb predicates the 
act or state of its subject. 

106. What parts of a verb are not finite? 
The infinitives and participles. 

107. What is a transitive verb? An intransitive verb? 
A transitive verb is one which has or requires an object. 

An intransitive does not have or require an object. 



364 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

108. When may a transitive verb become intransitive? 
When its chief design is to set forth an act and leave the 

object unknown. "She reads well." 

109. When may an intransitive verb become transitive? 

In poetical expressions, in a causative sense, and in idio- 
matic expressions; as, to march armies, I laughed myself 
hoarse. 

110. What is a neuter verb? 

One which expresses state without action or the receiving 
of action. 

111. What is a principal, and what an auxiliary verb? 

A principal verb expresses the chief act or state. An 
auxiliary verb helps other verbs to express their grammatical 
properties. 

112. Define a redundant verb. 

A redundant verb is so called because it has more than one 
form for some of the modes and tenses. 

113. Give examples of redundant verbs. 

Be, awake, bereave, bet, dig, dwell, lean, keep, hang, gild, 
kneel, hew, knit. 

114. What properties have verbs? 
Voice, mode, tense, person and number. 

115. Define voice, mode and tense. 

Voice shows whether the subject does or receives the act. 
Mode is manner of assertion. Tense expresses time. 

116. What are the person and number of a verb? 
The form of the verb to agree with the subject. 

117. When is a verb in the active or passive voice? 

In the active when the subject acts, in the passive when 
it receives the act. 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 365 

1 1 8- How is a verb in the active voice changed into the 
passive? 

By using the object of a verb for the subject. 

119. To what verbs does voice belbngf 
To transitive verbs only. 

120. How many modes are there? 

Four: indicative, subjunctive, potential and Imperative. 
Some grammarians add an infinitive mode. 

121. Define them. 

The indicative indicates or declares a fact. The potential 
expresses power, possibility, liberty, inclination, duty and 
necessity. The subjunctive expresses a wish, an uncertainty 
or a future contingency. The imperative commands or 
entreats. 

122. What is the difference between the forms of the indic- 
ative and subjunctive modes? 

The only difference is in the third person singular of two 
of the tenses, the present and the present-perfect. 

123. How many tenses are there in each of the modesf 

There are six in the indicative; three in the subjunctive — 
the present, past, and past-perfect; in the potential, four — 
the present, present-perfect, past and past-perfect; and in 
the imperative, one — the present tense. 

124. What are the signs of the tenses? 

In the indicative mode have is the sign of the present- 
perfect tense; had the sign of the past-perfect; shall or will, 
of the future; shall have or will have, of the future-perfect. 
The present or past tense is the simplest form, expressing 
present or past time. The signs of the present potential are 
may, can, must; of the present-perfect, may have, can have, 
must have; of the past, might, could, would, should; of the 



366 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

past-perfect, might have, could have, would have, should 
have. The three tenses of the subjunctive mode are the same 
in form as the indicative, except in the singular number of 
the present and past tense, which takes the plural form with- 
out variation. The imperative has the same form as the 
present indicative. 

125. What are the forms of a tensef 

The different ways in which it can be expressed; as the 
common form, the emphatic, the progressive, the passive and 
solemn. 

126. What is the emphatic form of a verb? 

That which denotes emphasis, by making do or did a part 
of the verb. 

127. How is the passive form expressed? How the pro- 
gressive? 

The passive form is expressed by combining the verb be, 
of some of its variations, with the perfect participle. The 
progressive form represents the continuation of the act or 
state, and is formed by combining the verb be, or some of its 
variations, with the present participle. 

128. What is the ancient form? 

The old common form that is still used in the solemn 
style. With thou and ye for subjects, it has the ending t, 
St or est for the second person singular, and th or eth for 
the third person singular. 

129. How is a proposition made interrogative? How 
made negative? 

Interrogative, by placing the verb, or part of it, before 
the nominative. Negative, by placing not after the verb or 
after the first auxiliary. 

130. When the subject consists of words differing in per- 
son, how is the form of the verb or pronoun determined? 

The first person is preferred to the second, and the second 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 367 

to the third. You, John and I are attached to our countr}'. 
If the nominatives are taken separately, or connected by or 
or norj the verb prefers the nominative next to it. He or I 
am to blame. 

131. What is an impersonal verb? 

A verb having person and number without a subject; as, 
methinksj meseems. 

132. What properties have the auxiliary verbs? 
Voice, mode, tense, person and number. 

133. What are the auxiliary verbs? 

Be and its variations; do, did; can, could; have, had; 
may, might; must; shall, should; will, would. 

134. Which of these are sometimes principal verbs? 
Be, or am, was, do and have. 

135. When is it proper to use shall and should? 

When a duty, command, determination, resolve is to be 
expressed, and in future propositions when the subject is of 
the first person and no reference is made to the will of the 
subject. 

136. When is it proper to use will and would? 

When the idea is that of willingness, inclination, or in 
future propositions when the subject is of the second or third 
person and no compulsion is to be expressed. 

137. When are do, be and have principal verbs? 

When not combined with any other verb expressed or 
understood. 

138. What stands as an answer to what? or whom? of a 
transitive verb? 

The object or complement of the transitive verb stands 
as an answer to the question what? or whom? with the 
verb. 



368 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

139. How can you determine whether a verb is transitive 
or intransitive f 

By asking the question what? or whom? If the verb 
will carry an answer relating to some particular thing it is 
transitive, but if it does not carry the subject to some termina- 
tion it is intransitive. 

140. How many terms are implied in a transitive verb? 
Three: subject, predicate and object. 

141. How many terms are implied in an intransitive verb? 
Only two: the subject and predicate. 

142. What is a copulative verb? 

One used to assert the condition of a subject; as, sugar 
is sweet. It is an incomplete verb using an adjective, 
noun or pronoun relating to the subject, and is often called 
a neuter verb. 

143. What are the principal copulative verbs? 

Be, become, seem, appear, grow, feel, look, smell, taste, 
etc. 

144. What is the peculiarity of copulative verbs? 

They imply in their meaning the verb to be; thus, become 
is really to "come to be"; appear is to "be in appearance." 

I44<3. In parsing a verb what order do you pursue? 

First give the principal parts of the verb; second, tell 
whether the verb is transitive or intransitive; third, state the 
mode, voice (if it has voice), tense, person and number. 

Example: The hunters killed a lion. 

Killed is a verb; principal parts are kill, killed, killing, killed; transi- 
tive, indicative mode, active voice, past tense, third person and 
plural number, agreeing in person and number with the subject 
hunters. 

Example: The child is going to school. 

The phrase is going is a verb phrase; principal parts of the verb are 
go, went, going, gone; intransitive, indicative mode (has no 
voice), present tense, progressive form, third person, singular 
number, agreeing in person and number with the subject child. 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 369 

Example: The corn ripened by the smiling sun was cut down. 

Ripened is a verb, used as an adjective limiting the noun corn. It 
is a participle; the principal parts are ripen, ripened, ripening, 
ripened. It is a perfect participle, from the transitive verb ripen, 
and modifies the noun cor^i, hence it is called a participial adjective. 

Smiling is a verb used in the above sentence as an adjective limiting 
the noun s^m. It is a present participle; the principal parts are 
smile, smiled, smiling, smiled. It comes from the intransitive 
verb smile, and modifies the noun sun, hence it is called a 
participial adjective. 

Was cut is a verb; principal parts are cut, cutting, cut; transitive, 
passive voice, indicative mode, past tense, third person, singular 
number, agreeing in person and number with the subject corn. 

Example: Have you been trying to swim the river? 

Have been trying is a verb; the principal parts are try, tried, trying, 
tried; transitive, indicative mode, active voice, present perfect 
tense, second person, singular (or plural) number, agreeing in 
person and number with the subject you. 

Example: After reading the book I was ready for him. 

Reading is a verb; principal parts are read, read, reading, read. It 
is used in this sentence as the object of the preposition after, 
hence it is termed a participial noun. It is derived from the 
transitive verb read. It is a present participle. 

Notice the diagram of these last two sentences a few pages farther on. 

145. What is an infinitive f 

The form of the verb generally preceded by tOj expressing 
an act or state without predicating it. There are two in- 
finitives : the present and the perfect. 

146. How is the present infinitive formed, and what does 
it denote? 

In the active voice, by combining to with the simplest 
form of the verb; in the passive voice, by using to be with 
a simple participle. 

147. How is the perfect infinitive formed j and what does 
it denote? 

By combining to have or to have been, with a simple par- 
ticiple. It represents the completion of the act or state at 
the time referred to. 

148. When is to, the sign of the infinitive, omitted? 

When the infinitive is combined with the auxiliary or 
after the active verbs bid, dare, let, make, need, see, hear, 
feel, and sometimes after have, help, please, and find. 



37° COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

149. What is a participle? 

A word derived from a verb, participating in the proper- 
ties of a verb and adjective. It is generally formed by 
adding ing, d or ed to the verb. There are two participles: 
the present and the perfect. Participles are sometimes called 
verbals. 

150. How is the present participle formed f 

By annexing ing to the simplest form of the verb, so as 
to represent the act or state as present and continuing at the 
time referred to, 

151. How is the perfect participle formed? 

By annexing d or ed to the simplest form of the verb, so 
as to represent the act or state as completed at the time 
referred to. 

152. What voices have participles? 

The simple present participle of a transitive verb is nearly 
always in the active voice. The simple perfect participle of 
a transitive verb is either active or passive ; it is active when 
have or any of its forms is combined with it, and passive 
when it stands by itself, or when be or any of its forms is 
combined with it. 

153. What is a compound participle? 

Being, having, or having been, combined with some other 
participle. 

154. What do being, having and having been express in 
relation to participles? 

Being expresses the present passive participle; having 
expresses the perfect active participle; having been expresses 
the perfect passive participle. 

155. What are some of the chief particulars in which par- 
ticiples and infinitives agree and differ? 

They have voice and tense; are annexed to auxiliary 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 371 

verbs; partake of the nature of nouns, adjectives and adverbs; 
and, when nouns, assume case. A participle may become 
an adjective*, it may govern the possessive case, it may become 
concrete and assume number, it may be used after prepo- 
sitions; but an infinitive has none of these attributes. 

156. What is the conjugation of a verb? 

The regular arrangement of the modes, tenses, persons, 
numbers and participles. 

157. What is the inflection of a verb? 
Its conjugation. 

158. What is meant by the weak and the strong conjuga- 
tion of verbs? 

The weak conjugation is the regular formation of the 
verb; as, move, moved. The strong conjugation is its irreg- 
ular formation; as, grow, grew, with the past participle 
ending in n or en. 

159. What is the theme of a verb? 

That form which admits of the preposition to before it; 
in other words, the infinitive form of the verb. 

160. What is a paradigm? 

A model of inflection by which to inflect other words. 

161. What is it to make a verb? 

To place a word in the position of a verb where it will 
carry the properties of an action. 

162. What is the synopsis of a verb? 

An outline of its parts through the modes and tenses, in 
a single person and number. 

163. What forms of a verb are called composite? 
Those which consist of auxiliaries combined with parti- 
ciples or infinitives. 



372 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

164. What is an adverb? How are most of them formed? 
A word used to modify the meaning of a verb, adjective, 

or other adverb. Most adverbs are formed from adjectives 
by adding ly. 

165. What is a conjunctive adverb? 

One used to perform the office of a conjunction and adverb 
at the same time. 

166. Into what classes are adverbs divided? 
Into adverbs of time, place, degree and manner. 

167. What is the difference in the use of an adjective and 
an adverb? 

An adverb expresses manner, or describes the act; an 
adjective describes the subject or object. 

168. Hoiv can we ascertain to what class adverbs belong? 
Adverbs of time answer the questions: When? How long? 

How often? Adverbs of place answer the questions: Where? 
Whence? Adverbs of degree answer the questions: How 
much? To what extent? In what degree? Adverbs of man- 
ner answer the question: How? 

l68<2. How would you compare the following adverbs? 
soon, well, badly, little, much, late, far, nigh, or near, lazily 
and hard. 

Soon, sooner, soonest. 
Well, better, best. 
Badly, worse, worst. 
Little, less, least. 
Much, more, most. 
Late, later, latest. 

( farther ( furthest. 

I further ° | farthest 

nigh 

nearer, next, 
or near 

Lazily, more lazily, most lazily. 

Hard, harder, hardest. 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 373 

l68i. In parsing an adverb what order should you pursue? 

First tell the kind of an adverb, then compare it if it may 
be compared, and tell what it modifies; and if it connects sen- 
tences or clauses, mention that it is a conjunctive adverb. 

Example: We met the boys as we were coining home. 

As is a conjunctive adverb of time, and connects the subordinate 
clause to the sentence {see diagram of this sentence a few pages 
farther on). 

Example: I will go sooner than you. 

Sooner is an adverb of time, compared: soon, sooner, soonest; com- 
parative degree, and it modifies the verb will go {see diagram of 
this sentence a few pages farther on). 

169. What is a preposition? An adjunct? 

A word used to show the relation between a following 
noun or pronoun and some other word. An adjunct is a 
preposition with its objects and modifiers, and may relate 
to a substantive, verb, adjective or adverb. 

1 70. What may a substantive be when governed by a prep- 
osition? 

A noun, a pronoun, an infinitive, a participial noun, or a 
clause. 

171. When does a preposition become an adverb? 
When there is no word to govern; as, "The eagle flew 

up, then around, then down again." 

Example: You did well in that you refused to talk about it. 

In is a preposition and shows the relation between did well and the 
object of the preposition "that you refused to talk about it" 
(see diagram of this sentence farther on}. 

172. What is a conjunction? Correlative connective? 

A word used to connect words, phrases or propositions. 
A correlative connective is one of a separated pair that con- 
nect the same parts; as, "Neither this nor that." 

173. PFhat is the difference between analysis and syn- 
thesis? 

Analysis is the resolving of a whole into its parts. Syn- 
thesis is the combining of the parts to form a whole. 



374 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

174. Wh at is parsing ? 

The resolving of a sentence into its parts, giving theil 
properties and syntax. 

175. What is relation 1 agreement? government? 

The relation of words is their connection with one 
another; agreement is their similarity in person, number, 
gender, case, etc. ; government is the power one word has 
over another. 

176. What is a sentence? clause? proposition? phrase? 

A sentence is an assemblage of words making complete 
sense; a clause is a proposition which makes only part of 
a sentence; a proposition is a subject combined with its 
predicate; a phrase is two or more words, but not an 
entire proposition. 

177. What is a declaratory sentence? interrogatory? imper' 
utive? exclamatory? 

A declaratory sentence expresses a declaration; an in- 
terrogative sentence asks a question; an imperative sen- 
tence expresses a command or entreaty; an exclamatory^ 
sentence expresses an exclamation. 

178. What is a sijnple sentence? compound? complex? 

A simple sentence has but one proposition; a compound 
sentence has two or more propositions; a complex sentence 
has one principal clause, with one or more dependent 
clauses. 

179. What are the subject and predicate of a sentence? 

The subject is that of which something is said; the 
predicate is what is said of the subject. 

180. What are the logical and grammatical subject and 
predicate of a sentence? 

The grammatical subject and predicate are the subject 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 375 

and predicate words; the logical subject and predicate are 
these words with all their modifiers. 

181. What is discourse^ and of what may it treats 

Discourse is a train of thought expressed in language, 
and may be description, narration, science or philosophy. 

182. What is a paragraph ? 

A sentence or combination of sentences, completing a 
train of thought, and distinguished by a new beginning. 

183. Upon what is analysis based 'i 

Three relations: the predicate relation, the adjectiye 
relation, and the adverbial relation. 

184. What are elements of sentences! 
Words, phrases and clauses. 

185. What must every proposition have! 
A subject and predicate. 

186. What is a modifier! 

A modifier is a dependent word, phrase or clause, used 
to limit or vary the meaning of some other word or ex- 
pression ; it may be an adjective or an adverbial modifier. 

187. By what may a noun and pronoun be modified! 

By an article, an adjective, a possessive, an appositive, 
a participle, or an infinitive, as well as by phrases and 
clauses. 

188. By what may a verb be modified! 

By an object, a predicate adjective, an adverb, a partt 
ciple, or an infinitive, as well as by phrases and clauses, 

189. When an infinitive or participle is used as a noun^ 
what modifiers does it take! 

The infinitive takes only the modifiers of a verb; the 
participle those of either a verb or a noun. 



376 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

190. What parts of speech are never modified? 
Articles, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections 

191. What kinds of words are connectives? 

Conjunctions, prepositions, relative pronouns, respon- 
sive pronouns, and conjunctive adverbs. 

192. In the analysis of phrases^ what forms are given f 
Simple, complex, compound, mixed, and prepositional. 

193. What part of a sentence is considered the most impor- 
tant? 

The beginning; the next most important is the end. 

194. When may a subordinate element occupy the chief 
place? 

When it is uppermost in the speaker's mind, or denotes 
what is most striking. " Out flew millions of flaming 
words." '■'■By these we acquired our liberty." 

195. What is a period in grammar? 

A sentence so constructed that the meaning is sus- 
pended till the close. 

196. In what do all the errors of language consist? 

In the improper arrangement of words, in the use of 
improper words, in the omission of words, and in the use 
of unnecessary words. 

197. What is a figure in grammar? 

A deviation from the ordinary form; a construction or 
application of words for the sake of brevity, force, or 
beauty. 

198. Name the figures of grammar. 

The figures of orthography, of etymology, of syntax, and 
of rhetoric. 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 377 

199. What is a figure of orthography'} 

An intentional deviation from the ordinary or true 
spelling of a word. 

200. What is a figure of etymology^ 

An intentional deviation from the ordinary formation of 
a word. 

201. What is a figure of syntax 7 

An intentional deviation from the ordinary construction 
<rf words. 

202. What is a figure of rhetoric i 

An intentional deviation from the ordinary application 
of words. 

203. What are the names of the most important figures of 
etymology i 

Aphaeresis, syncope, apocope, prosthesis, paragoge, 
tmesis, diaeresis, synaeresis. 

204. Define them. 

Aphaeresis is the shortening of a word by taking a letter 
or syllable from the beginning; as, ^gainst^ there's. 
Syncope is the shortening of a word by taking a letter or a 
syllable from the middle; as, red'ning for reddening. 
Apocope is the shortening of a word by taking a letter or 
syllable from the end; as, th' for the. Prosthesis is the 
lengthening of a word by prefixing a syllable. Paragoge 
is the lengthening of a word by annexing a syllable. 
Tmesis is the insertion of a word between the parts of a 
compound; as, on which side soever. Diaeresis is the 
division of two concurrent vowels into different syllables 
usually marked thus, cooperate, aerial. Synaeresis is the 
joining of two syllables into one; as, dost^ loved^ learned^ 
for do-est, lov-ed, learned. 



378 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

205. What is ellipsis 1 aposiopesis'i zeugma? pleonasm? 

Ellipsis is the omission of words, and elision the omis- 
sion of letters. Aposiopesis is the leaving of something 
unsaid. Zeugma is the reference of a word to two others, 
when in strict syntax it can agree with only one of them. 
Pleonasm is the using of more words than the sense or 
syntax absolutely requires. 

206. What is a simile? metaphor? allegory? synecdoche? 

A simile is a comparison expressed. A metaphor is a 
comparison implied; as, "Life is an isthmus between two 
eternities/' An allegory is a fictitious story about one 
thing, which is designed to teach some moral or practical 
wisdom about another. Synecdoche is the name of a part 
applied to the whole, or that of the whole applied to a 
part. 

207. What is antithesis? irony? paralipsis? hyperbole? 

Antithesis is a contrast; as "Virtue ennobles, vice 
debases." Irony is the sneering use of words with a con- 
trary meaning. Paralipsis is the pretended omission or 
concealment of what is meant; as, "I will not call him a 
villain, for it would be unparliamentary." Hyperbole is 
exaggeration. 

208. What is euphemism? interrogation? exclamation? 
Euphemism is a softened mode of speech for what would 

be disagreeable or offensive if plainly spoken. Interroga- 
tion is an appeal in the form of a question to strengthen a 
statement. Exclamation is an abrupt mode of speech, 
designed to express more strongly the emotions of the 
speaker. 

2og. What is versification? verse? 

Versification is the art of making verse. Verse is the 
musical arrangement of words, according to some regular 
accent. 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 



379 



210. What is a foot 'i 

A foot is two or more syllables, constituting a part of a 
line or verse. 

211. What is rhyme? blank verse? 

Rhyme is the similarity of sounds between the endings 
of poetic lines. Blank verse is verse without rhyme. 

212. What is a couplet? a stanza? 

A couplet is two poetic lines, usually rhyming together. 
A stanza is a regular division of a poem, and consists of 
three or more poetic lines with complete rhymes. 

2i2a. 

boys I play ^ ball 



apples 



are \ 



sweet 



3 gold I is \ 



metal 



Y study \o improve 

4 A I ^^ \ A 



^ 



pears 



apples I 




fruit 



SSo COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

_ boys stndy^ gra mmar 




life I is \ what 



\ questi 



William 



you 

X 



come 



10 



John (the tailor) i was \ " rich 



boys I will rue \ it 

11 ; I - -.^ 

/ ^\^} 

wjio I practice | deceit "^^J 



they I ^^ become | men 



we I met 

12 k 



boys 



we I were 



coming 



"home 



13 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 
I I will go 



14 



,\ will go 
you \^ X X 



sA 



that 




381 



V 



talk 



you I did | x y\ 



'r^ you I refused 1 y\ 



^ _ trees 1 gave 1 evidence 
15 ; \A ' ;^ — ^^ 






growth I would be I what 

vy T — 



California 



automobile 




382 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

..ministers 1. sfii^ y theology 




18 



^ 



ready 




ah' , 



19 



James 



him 



i \^^lng 



.^ 



comes 



boot 



20- 



tall 



1 



21. What part of speech is too in the above sentence? 
An adverb because it modifies the adjective tall. 

212b. In analyzing a sentence observe the following order: 

1. Tell if the sentence is a declarative, interroga- 
tive, imperative or exclamatory sentence. 

2. Whether a simple, compound, complex or com- 
pound-complex sentence. 

3. Name the subject of the sentence, then the 
predicate, and last, the object (if any). 

4. Give the word, phrase or clause that limits 



ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 



;83 



21 



the subject and tell whether of the first, second or 
third class. 

5. Name the modifiers of the predicate and give 
their class. 

6. And lasth^ give the limiters of the object, and 
the class to which they belong. 

2 1 2c. The boatman as the sun sank to rest, rowed his boat 
to the shore and at the same time he observed the deer coming 
slowly down to the water's edge to get their evening drink. 

Tjoatman 



rowed 



boat 




2i2d. I. A declarative sentence. 

2. A compound-complex sentence. 

3. Boatman is the subject, 

4. Rowed is the predicate. 

5. Boat is the object. 

6. The subject is limited by the, a simple element 
of the first class. 

7. The predicate is modified by when the sun sank 
to rest, an element of the third class, of which sun is 
the subject, sank is the predicate, limited by to rest, 
an adverbial element of the second class. Connected 
to the sentence by the adverbial connective when, an 
adverb of time. The predicate is also modified by the 



384 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

phrase to the shore, a complex adverbial element of 
the second class of which to is the preposition and 
shore the base, limited by the, an adjective element of 
the first class. 

8. The object is limited by his, a simple adjective 
element of the first class. 
The other half of this compound sentence can be analyzed 
by the reader, following the above order. 

212^. A compound sentence is composed of two complete 
sentences connected by a coordinate conjunction. 

212/. A complex sentence Is where the principal sentence 
is limited or modified by a subordinate clause. 

212^. A modifier composed of but one word is of the first 
class. 

212A. A modifier composed of a prepositional phrase or an 
infinitive is called second class; and 

2i2i. A clause modifier is called the third class. 

212;. The student or teacher will find on the foregoing 
pages an example of a simple sentence, compound sentence, 
compound-complex sentence, and a complex sentence. Also 
a diagram with a word as the subject of a sentence, also a 
clause as the subject, and a phrase as a subject. He will also 
find a noun as an attribute and an adjective as an attribute. 
And again a word, a phrase and a clause as the object of the 
sentence. Also there are diagrams of a word, a phrase and 
a clause as the object of a preposition; likewise an example 
of a coordinate conjunction, as in diagram No. 27, and also 
in No. II ; while in No. 28 you find a subordinate conjunc- 
tion. In fact the reader will find in the foregoinp; forms 
about every kind of diagraming that may arise in the study 
or teaching of grammar. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



PARTICIPLES AND INFINITIVES 



1. What construction have infinitives and participles 1 

All infinitives and participles have the construction and 
use of the noun, the adjective, or the adverb. 

2. When has an infinitive the construction of a noun? 
When used as subject of a verb, or in apposition with a 

noun; as a noun in the absolute case; as the object of a 
verb or preposition. 

3. Illustrate by example. 

To play is natural. To do good is conducive to happiness. 
To lie; oh, how base! They love to laugh. What went ye 
out for to see? 

4. When has the infinitive the construction of an adjective? 
When used to limit or modify the meaning of a noun. 

5. Give examples. 

A desire to play is natural. He gave orders to march. 
This rule is to be observed — adjective in the predicate. 
This to-be-observed rule is, or exists. 

6. When has the infi?iitive the construction of an adverb? 
When used to limit the meaning of a verb, adjective, 

adverb, or other infinitive. 

38s 



386 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

7. Give examples. 

They came to see; i. e., for the purpose of seeing. They 
were anxious to go. That horse is strong enough to draw 
any load. I wish to go to town to trade to-day. 

8. Have infinitives easel 

They have not. Case belongs alone to nouns and 
pronouns. 

9. Has the infinitive always a subjecfi 
It has, but not always expressed. 

10. What is the subject o/'^to go," in "I wished to go 
home"? 

The subject of "to go" is **I," understood; the meaning 
evidently is, I wished that I might go home. 

11. In what case is the subject of the iiifinitive ? 

In the objective case, except when its subject is, or refers 
to, the same person or thing as the subject of the finite 
verb, or when the subject is any word but a noun or pronoun. 

12. Has the participle always a subjectl 
It has, either expressed or implied. 

13. In what case is the subject the participle 1 

Usually in the possessive case; sometimes in the ob- 
jective; as: There is no harm in children's playing by the 
river (subj, poss.). There is no harm in children playing 
by the river (subj. obj.).* 

14. What is the rule for the construction of participles 1 
They are to be used in all cases like the infinitive. 

15. In the sentence^ '■^To be honest with you, I was in 
err or, ^^ parse "to be." 

To be: verb; irreg., intrans., act, pres., infin,, with the 

* This is much disputed, many claiming that the possessive pronoun 
"their," understood, is the subject of "playing," in the second sentence. 



PARTICIPLES AND INFINITIVES, 387 

construction of an adverb limiting the verb confess^ under- 
stood — [I confess] (in order) to be honest, etc. 

16. In what manner do we determine whether the infinitive 
has the construction of a noun^ an adjective^ or an adverb i 

First, and mainly, by the sense or meaning; when the 
infinitive has the construction of an abverb, the words "in 
order" can be placed immediately before the infinitive 
without destroying the sense; as: They came [in order] 
to see. When it has the construction of an adjective it 
can be changed to its present participle, placed immediately 
before the word it limits, and make good sense; as: He 
asked for money to spend, i. e., spending-money. I want a 
place to study, i. e., study ing-place. 

17. How do we determine what is the subject of the 
infinitive, when that is not apparent, as in " He was eager to 
depart'' ? 

Change the infinitive to its equivalent subordinate clause, 
and the subject will appear. He was eager to depart, i. e., 
that he might depart. He is the subject. Be so good as to 
go^ i. e., that you should go. John was told not to go, i. e., 
that fohn should not go. 

18. In the sentence, ^'■To die is gain,'' what is the subject 
of to die"? 

Person, understood. Expanded, That any person should 
die is gain. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

ON 

LETTER WRITING. 



1. What five important things are to be considered in writ- 
ing a letter? 

The heading, the introduction, the body of the letter, 
the conclusion, and the superscription. 

2. Of what does the heading consist? 

Of the name of the place at which the letter is written, 
and the date. 

3. What important things should be considered in giving 
the name 0/ the place? 

If in a city, the name of the street and door number of 
the residence should be given. If at a hotel, school, or 
well-known institution, the name should be given. If in a 
village, or country place, the post-office address, the name 
of the county and State. 

4. Of what does the date consist? 

The name of the month, the day of the month, and the 
year. 

5. How should the heading be written ? 

Begin about an inch and a half from the top of the page, 
on the first ruled line of commercial note, a little to the left 
of the middle. If the heading occupies more than one 

389 



390 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

line, let each line begin a little farther to the right than 
the other. The day of the month, year, and door number 
are written in jfigures. 

6. How should you capitalize and punctuate the headingi 
Each important word begins with a capital letter, each 

item is set off by the comma, and the whole closes with a 
period. 

7. Of what does the introduction consist? 

Of the name, the title, and the place of business or resi- 
dence of the person addressed. 

8. What are the common titles in use, and to whom, should 
they be applied? 

The prefix Mr. should be applied to a man's name; 
Messrs. to the names of several men; Master to that of a 
lad; Miss to that of a young lady; Mrs. to that of a mar- 
ried lady; Misses to several young ladies; Mesdames to 
several married or elderly ladies; Dr. to a physician; Rev. 
to a clergyman, or Rev. Mr., if name is unknown; Rev. Dr. 
to a Doctor of Divinity, or Rev. can be placed before the 
name and D. D. after it; His Excellency to the name of a 
Governor or Ambassador; Hon. to the name of a Cabinet 
Officer, a Member of Congress, a State Senator, a Judge or 
Mayor. 

g. What is the most approved form of addressing the Pres- 
ident? 

To the President, Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C. 
The salutation would simply be, Mr. President. 

10. If two literary or professio7ial titles are added to a 
name, in what order should they be written? 

In the order in which they were conferred. 

11. Name the order of some of these common titles. 

A. M., Ph. D,, D. D., LL. D. The higher implies the 



LETTER WRITING. 39 1 

lower, and great care should be taken to guard against an 
excessive use of these titles. 

12. How should you express the salutations 1 

They vary according to the station of the person ad- 
dressed, or the degree of intimacy with him. Strangers 
may be addressed as Sir^ Rev. Sir, General, Madam, etc. ; 
acquaintances, as Dear Sir, Dear Madam; friends, as My 
dear Sir, My dear Madam, My dear Jones; near relatives 
and dear friends, as My dear Wife, My dear Boy, Dearest 
Ellen, etc. 

13. How do you begin the address of a letter 1 

If it is a business letter, on the next line below the 
heading, at the left side of the page, and, if it contains 
more than one line, it should be spaced as in the heading. 
If the letter is of an official character or is written to a 
friend, the address may be placed at the bottom of the 
letter. 

14. Where should the salutation begin? 

It should begin a little to the right of the address, unless 
the address is written below. 

15. How should the salutation be punctuated? 

Every important word should begin with a capital letter, 
and the whole followed by a comma, or a comma and a 
dash, as Dear Sir, — . The semicolon is generally used 
instead of the comma. 

16. Where do you begin the body of the letter? 

If the introduction is long, on the same line with the 
salutation; or below the line if the introduction is short. 

17. How should business letters be composed? 

They should be brief, and the sentences short, concise, 
and to the point. Repeat nothing, and omit nothing 
needful. 



392 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

1 8. What should be the character of official letters and 
formal notes ? 

They should be more stately and ceremonious. In 
formal notes the third person is generally used instead of 
the first and the second, and there is no introduction, no 
conclusion, no signature; thus: 

Mr. and Mrs. F— 

request the pleasure of Mr. H — ^s company 

at a social gathering 

on 

Tuesday evening^ May lyth^ 

at 8 o^ clock. 
2 J Kimball Ave.^ May ^th. 

The answer may be couched thus: 

Mr. K— , -^ 

accepts with pleasure 

Mr. and Mrs. F — 'j kind invitation for 

Tuesday evening^ May ifth. 

Monday morning, May gth. 

ig. How should the conclusion be drawn? 

The conclusion consists of the complimentary close, and 
the signature. The forms are many and varied, according 
to the relations of the writer to the person addressed. In 
letters of friendship use, Your sincere friend. Yours affection- 
ately, Your loving son or daughter, etc. In business letters, 
Yours, Yours truly. Yours respectfully. Very respectfully yours. 
In official letters, / have the honor to be. Sir, your obedient 
servant; Very respectfully. Your most obedient servant, etc. 

2o. What about the signature! 

It should consist of the Christian name and surname. In 
signing a letter to a stranger write the Christian name in 
full. A lady addressing a stranger should prefix to her 
signature her title, Mrs. or Miss, placing it within the marks 
of pj^renthesis ; as, (Miss), unless in her writing she has in* 



LETTER WRITING. 393 

ulcated which of these titles her correspondent is to use in 
reply. 

21. Where should the first word of the conclusion begin ? 
It should begin near the middle of the first line below 

the body of the letter, and be spaced according to the 
number of lines occupied, like the heading and address. 

22. What is the superscription^ 
The address on the envelope. 

23. How should yoti address an envelope and stamp it? 
The address should begin just below the middle of the 

envelope and near the left edge. The spacing should slope 
to the right as in the heading, and so that the last line will 
come near the lower right-hand corner. The name and 
title should occupy the first line; if in a city, the door- 
number and name of street should be on the second line, 
the name of the city on the third, and the name of the 
State on the fourth. In the country the name of the 
county may be written below the post-office address, or in 
the lower left-hand corner. Every line should end with a 
comma except the last, which should be followed by a 
period. Care should be taken to write plainly and in a 
straight line. The stamp should be placed in the upper 
right-hand corner. 

A SPECIMEN LETTER. 

Milwaukee, Wis., April 14, 1887. 
Wtn. A. Gault, Esq., 

Caldwell, 

Wis. 

My Dear Sir: — Yours of the 
loth received. I am surprised to hear of the failure of 
Mr. B., and will meet you as requested at Mukwonago, on 
Hie 1 8th inst. 

Yours respectfully, 

JAMES GILMORK 



394 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 




QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 



1. PThat is English literature? 

Literature is thought expressed in writing. English litera- 
ture is the literature of the English language wherever pro- 
duced; but it is sometimes divided, for convenience, into 
English literature proper — the literature produced in Eng- 
land, and American literature — the literature produced in 
America. 

2. What are the two forms of literature? 
Literature exists in two forms — poetry and prose. 

3. What is poetry? 

Poetry is imaginative composition in metrical form. It is 
of eight kinds — Epic, Dramatic, Narrative and Descriptive, 
Lyric, Didactic, Pastoral, Elegiac, and Humorous. 

4. Define the eight kinds. 

An Epic poem is a long poetic recital of some great event ; 
as, Homer's "Iliad," Milton's "Paradise Lost." 

Dramatic poetry is poetry in the form of dialogue. It is 
of two kinds — tragedy and comedy; as, "Hamlet" (tragedy), 
"Merchant of Venice" (comedy). 

A narrative poem is a tale in verse. A descriptive poem 
fs one that describes something. Narration and description 

395 



396 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

are generally combined; as, Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," 
Scott's "Lady of the Lake." 

Lyric poetry is poetry suitable for music. It includes 
Psalms, Hymns, Songs, Odes, and Sonnets; as, Shelley's 
"Skylark," Wordsworth's "Ode to Duty," Moore's "Last 
Rose of Summer." 

Didactic poetry is poetry designed chiefly to instruct; as, 
Pope's "Essay on Man," Wordsworth's "Excursion," Bry- 
ant's "Thanatopsis." 

Pastoral poetry is poetry descriptive of country life; as, 
Whittier's "Snow-Bound," Tennyson's "Enoch Arden," Tay- 
lor's "Lars." 

Elegiac poetry is poetry commemorative of the dead; as, 
Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," Tenny- 
son's "In Memoriam." 

Humorous poetry is poetry of an amusing character; as, 
Cowper's "John Gilpin," Saxe's "Proud Miss McBride." 

5. Define prose. 

Prose is composition without meter or rhyme. It is of 
nine kinds — History, Biography, Novels, Travels, Letters, 
Reviews, Essays, Treatises, and Discourses. 

6. Define the nine hinds. 

History is a record of past events; as, Hume's "History of 
England," Bancroft's "History of the United States." 

A biography is an account of the life of an individual ; as, 
Irving's "Life of Washington." 

A novel is a fictitious story. Among the best examples 
are the novels of Scott, Thackeray, and Dickens. 

A book of travels is a record of the experiences and ob- 
servations of a traveler; as, Bayard Taylor's "Views Afoot." 

A letter is a composition addressed to a particular person. 
Letters are usually included in biography; as, "Life and 
Letters of Lord Byron." 

A review is a long article founded on some literary work. 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 397 

Among the 'best reviews are those of Macaulay, Lowell, and 
Whipple. 

An essay is a brief and somewhat informal composition 
on any subject. Among the best essays are those of Lord 
Bacon, Addison, and Lamb. 

A treatise is a composition setting forth in a systematic 
manner the principles of some science or art; as, Haven's 
"Mental Science," Brooks's "Geometry." 

A discourse is a composition intended to be read aloud or 
spoken by the writer. Discourses are of five kinds — orations, 
addresses, sermons, lectures, and speeches. 

7. With whose work did English literature originatef 

English literature may be said to have begun with Chaucer, 
about the middle of the fourteenth century. 

There were works that were written earlier than that, but 
they are in a language so different from modern English that 
they cannot be read without a glossary. 

8. What are the nine periods of English literature? 

I. The Age of Chaucer, 1350-1400. 
IL The Age of Caxton, 1400- 15 50. 
in. The Elizabethan Age, 1 550-1 625. 
IV. The Age of Milton, 1625- 1660. 
V. The Age of the Restoration, 1660- 1700. 
VI. The Age of Queen Anne, 1 700-1 750. 
VII. The Age of Johnson, 1 750-1 800. 
VIII. The Age of Scott, 1800-1830. 
IX. The Victorian Age, 1 830-1 886. 

9. What may be said of the Age of Chaucer (1350-1400)? 

This age is memorable in history on account of the military 
glories of Edward III and his heroic son, the Black Prince,, 
by which the Saxon and Norman elements of the people 
were united, a national sentiment established, and the supre- 
macy of Englaad secured. 



39S COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

It was also a period of religious agitation, of awakening 
thought, and of vigorous protest against the vices and tyranny 
of the higher orders of the clergy. At this time were sown 
by Wyclif and others the seeds that produced, more than a 
century later, the English Reformation under Henry VIII. 

The chief literary representative of this age is our first 
great poet Geoffrey Chaucer (1328-1400). The con- 
temporary authors are John Wyclif (1324-1384), a 
learned preacher known as "The Morning Star of the Refor- 
mation," author of the first English translation of the Bible. 
William Langland (1332-1400), author of a powerful 
allegorical poem entitled "Piers Plowman." John Gower 
(1320-1408), author of a poem entitled "Confessio Aman- 
tis." Sir John Mandeville (1300-1372), author of a 
book of travels. 

10. What was the character of the Age of Caxton (1400- 
1550)9 

This was the age of turmoil, and it gave rise to no great 
authors. 

It is celebrated in history on account of four great events: 

( 1 ) The invention of printing, and its introduction into 
England by Caxton ; 

(2) The discovery of America; 

( 3 ) The Wars of the Roses ; 

(4) The Protestant Reformation in England under Henry 
VIII. 

11. Najne the authors of this age. 

William Caxton (1412-1492), the first English printer. 
The first book printed in England was "T'he Game and Play 
of Chess." 

John Skelton (1460-1529). A satirical poet, first 'Toet 
Laureate," tutor to the Duke of York, afterward Henry 
VIII. 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 399 

Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542). A statesman and 
lyric poet of the reign of Henry VIII. 

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1516-1547). A writer 
of sonnets and songs, and first writer of blank verse. 

Sir Thomas Moore (1480-1535). Chancellor to Henry 
VIII, and author of "Utopia," a prose romance. 

Tyndale (1480-1536) and Coverdale (1487-1568), 
translators of the Bible. 

12. Describe the Third Period, or Elizabethan Age (1550- 
1625). 

This is the most glorious era of English literature. No 
other age presents such a splendid array of great names, such 
originality, such creative energy; and no other has added so 
many grand ideas to the mental treasures of the race. 

Within a period of eleven years (1553-1564) she produced 
three writers — Spenser, Shakespeare, and Bacon — any one of 
whom would have made any age illustrious, besides many 
others, who, had they lived in any other period, would have 
stood in the first rank of authors. 

13. What were some of the glories of this age? 

Among the chief glories of the age were the rise and mar- 
velous development of the English drama, and the translation 
of the Bible (our present version) under King James, in 
1611. 

14. Name the chief works of Spenser. 

"The Faerie Queene," a long allegory, setting forth the ex- 
cellence of holiness, temperance, chastity, justice, courtesy, 
and friendship, under the guise of knights. Among the best 
of his other poems are his "Epithalamion," or marriage song; 
Hymns of Love, Beauty, Heavenly Love, and Heavenly 
Beauty, and his exquisite Sonnets. 

15. Name the greatest works of Shakespeare. 

His greatest works are his dramas, thirty-seven in number. . 



400 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Among the best of his tragedies are "Hamlet," "Macbeth," 
"Othello," and "King Lear" ; among the best comedies, "The 
Merchant of Venice," "As You Like It," and "Midsummer 
Night's Dream" ; among the best historical plays, "Julius 
Caesar," "King Henry IV," "King Henry V," and "King 
Richard III." 

1 6. Name some works of Bacon. 

His most profound work is "Novum Organum" (The 
New Organ), but his most popular one is his Essays. 

17. Mention other non-dramatic poets of the Elizabethan 
Age. 

Thomas Sackville (1536-1608), Earl of Dorset, author 
of "Mirror for Magistrates." 

Samuel Daniel (1562-1619), known as "well-languaged 
Daniel," author of "Mrs. Cophilus" and "History of the 
Wars of the Roses." 

Michael Drayton. (1563-1631), author of "Polyolbion" 
and many other poems. 

George Herbert (i 593-1 632), known as "Holy George 
Herbert," author of "The Temple" and "Yhe Country 
Parson." 

18. Mention other dramatic poets of the Elizabethan Age. 

Christopher Marlowe (i 564-1 593), the greatest dra- 
matist before Shakespeare, author of "Tamburlaine" and 
"Faustus." 

Ben Jonson (1574-1637), second to Shakespeare only, 
author of "Every Man in his Humour," "Volpone, or the 
Fox," "Sejanus," etc. 

Beaumont and Fletcher, very popular in their day, 
wrote "Two Noble Kinsmen," "Rule a Wife and Have a 
Wife," "Faithful Shepherdess," and many other works. 

Philip Massinger (1584-1640), author of "Duke of 
Milan," "Fatal Dowry," "New Way to Pay Old Debts," 
etc. 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 401 

Webster^ Ford, Chapman, Shirley, and several others, 
were also distinguished dramatists of the second class. 

19. Mention other prose writers of the Elizabethan Age. 

Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586), one of the most chival- 
rous gentlemen and accomplished w^riters of this age, author 
of "Arcadia," a prose romance, "Defense of Poesy," and 
some beautiful Sonnets, 

Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618), courtier, soldier, ad- 
venturer, and writerj^ author of "History of the World" 
(vi^ritten in prison), and several poems of much merit. 

Roger Ascham (1515-15 69), tutor of Princess (after- 
ward Queen) Elizabeth, and author of "Toxophilus" (arch- 
ery) and "The Schoolmaster." 

Richard Hooker (1553-1600), a learned and eloquent 
divine, author of "Ecclesiastical Polity." 

20. Describe the Fourth Period, the Age of Milton (1625- 
1660). 

This was an age of fierce political and religious contro- 
versy. It was not favorable to authorship, hence but few 
works were produced, and these were mostly of a religious 
and controversial character. 

21. Who were the most celebrated authors of this age? 
John Milton (1608-1674); principal works, "Paradise 

Lost," "Paradise Regained," "Samson Agonistes," "Comus," 
"L' Allegro," "II Penseroso," "Hymn to the Nativity." His 
best prose work is "Areopagitica, a Plea for Unlicensed 
Printing." 

John Bunyan (1628-1688), author of the greatest al- 
legory in the world, "Pilgrim's Progress." 

22. Mention other poets of the Age of Milton. 
Edmund Waller (1605-1687), author of "Panegyric to 

My Lord Protector," and many short poems. 
Abraham Cowley (161 8-1667), author of "The Mis- 



402 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

tress," "Pindaric Odes," "Davideis," etc.; also of some ex- 
cellent essays. 

George Wither (1588-1667), author of "Shepherd's 
Hunting," "Hymns and Songs of the Church," "Abuses 
Stript and Whipt" (a satire), etc. 

Robert Herrick (1591-1674), author of "Cherry Ripe," 
"Gather Rosebuds While Ye May," etc. 

Sir John Suckling (1608-1642), author of many charm- 
ing short poems. 

23. Mention some other prose writers of this age. 
Edward Hyde (1608-1673), author of "History of the 

Rebellion." 

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), author of "The Levia- 
than." 

Sir Thomas Browne (1605-1682), author of "Religio 
Medici." 

IzAAK Walton (i 593-1683), author of "The Complete 
Angler," and "Walton's Lives." 

Thomas Fuller (1608-1661), author of "Church His^ 
tory," "The Holy and the Profane State," etc. 

Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667), the great pulpit orator of 
the English Church, author of "Holy Living," "Holy Dy- 
ing," etc. 

Dr. Richard Baxter (1615-1691), author of "Call to 
the Unconverted," etc. 

24. Describe the Fifth Period, or the Age of the Restora- 
tion (1660-1700). 

Corruption and licentiousness reigned in court and camp, 
and literature was debased and made to pander to the false 
tastes and lusts of the ruling class. 

25. Who was the only great genius that flourished in this 
age? 

John Dryden (i 631 -1700). He wrote dramas, poems, 
and essays. 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 403 

The best of his dramas is "The Indian Emperor." His 
principal poems are "Alexander's Feast," "Absalom and 
Achitophel," "The Hind and Panther," and a translation of 
VirgiPs "^neid." 

26. Mention other authors of this age. 

Samuel Butler (1632-1704), author of "Hudibras." 

John Locke (1630-1704), author of "Essays Concerning 
the Human Understanding," 

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), author of the "Princi- 
pia." 

Hon. Robert Boyle (1627-1691), one of the founders 
of the Royal Society. 

John Evelyn^ F.R.S. (1620-1705), author of "Sylva," 
etc. 

27. Describe the Age of Queen Anne (iJOO-iJSo)- 

It WM characterized by a sort of superficial refinement — 
a refinement not of morals and character, but of manners and 
language. 

28. Name the two chief authors of this age. 

Alexander Pope ( 1688- 1744), whose principal works are 
the "Essay on Criticism," "Essay on Man," "Rape of the 
Lock," "The Dunciad," and a translation of Homer. 

Joseph Addison (1672-17 19), whose principal works are 
the tragedy of "Cato," contributions to the Tatler, the 
Spectator, and the Guardian. 

29. Name some other authors of this age. 

Dr. Edward Young (1684-1765), author of "Night 
Thoughts." 

James Thomson (1700-1748), author of "The Seasons" 
and "The Castle of Indolence." 

Matthew Prior (1664-1721), author of "Solomon," 
"Alma," and many fine lyrics. 



404 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), author of "Gulliver's 
Travels," "The Tale of a Tub," etc. 

Daniel Defoe (1661-1731), author of "Robinson Cru- 
soe." 

Jonathan Edwards^ the great American metaphysician. 

30. Describe the Age of Johnson (i'J50-i8oo). 

During this age there was a higher moral tone, with a 
greater sincerity of manner. The authors may be divided 
into two classes: (i) The poets, represented by Goldsmith, 
Gray, Burns, and Cowper; (2) the prose writers, represented 
by Johnson and Burke. 

31. Mention the works of Goldsmith (1728-17^4). 

His works may be divided into (i) Poetical, (2) His- 
torical, and (3) Miscellaneous. His principal poems are 
"The Traveler" and "The Deserted Village." Among the 
historical works are a "History of England," "History of 
Rome," "History of Greece," "History of Animated Na- 
ture," etc. His miscellaneous works embrace "The Vicar of 
Wakefield," "She Stoops to Conquer," "Letters from a 
Citizen of the World," etc. 

32. Name the works of Thomas Gray (iJid-iT/i). 

His most celebrated poem is his "Elegy Written in a 
Country Churchyard." The best of his other poems are 
"Ode to Eton College," "Ode to Adversity," "The Bard," 
and "Progress of Poesy." 

33. What are some of the poems of Robert Burns (i759' 
1796) f 

The words of Burns find a ready response in the universal 
heart, and his "Highland Mary," "Bonny Doon," "Auld 
Lang Syne," have become household words wherever the Eng- 
lish language is spoken. Among the best of his poems, in 
addition to his songs, are "The Cotter's Saturday Night," 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 405 

"Tam O'Shanter," "Twa Dogs," "To a Mouse," "To a 
Mountain Dais}^" and "Man was Made to Mourn." 

34. What may be said of Cowper (lyji-iSoo) and his 
writing sf 

Cowper is distinguished for his poems and his letters. 
Among the best of the former are "Lines on My Mother's 
Picture," "The Task," his Hymns, and the humorous ballad 
of "John Gilpin." His letters are among the finest specimens 
of epistolary style in the language. 

35. Mention other poets of this age. 

James Beattie (i 736-1803), author of "The Minstrel." 
Thomas Chatterton (1752-1770), the boy poet, who 

deceived nearly all the scholars of his age by his imitations of 

old English poetry. 

36. Mention the writings of Johnson (170Q-1784). 

His principal poems are "London," "The Valley of Human 
Wishes," and "Irene." His chief prose works are his contri- 
butions to the Rambler^ "Rasselas," "Lives of the Poets," 
and an English Dictionary. 

37. Name the works of Burke (I'j^Z-i'jg']). 

His most celebrated works are "An Essay on the Sublime 
and Beautiful," "Reflections on the French Revolution," 
"Letters to a Noble Lord," and his great "Speech on the 
Impeachment of Warren Hastings." 

38. Mention some other prose writers of this age. 
David Hume (1711-1776), author of "History of Eng- 
land." 

Edward Gibbon (1737- 1794), author of "Decline and 
Fall of the Roman Empire." 

Tobias George Smollett (1721-1771), author of "Rod- 
erick Random," "Peregrine Pickle," and "Humphrey 
Clinker." 



4o6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Lawrence Sterne (1713-1768), author of "Tristram 
Shandy" and "Sentimental Journey," 

Hannah More (i 745-1833), author of "The Inflexible 
Captive," "The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain," "Coelebs in 
Search of a Wife." 

Junius, supposed to be Sir Philip Francis (1740- 
181 8), author of the celebrated "Letters of Junius." 

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816), author of 
"School for Scandal." 

Horace Walpole (1717-1797), author of "Castle of 
Otranto." 

William Paley, D.D. (i 743-1 805), author of "Natural 
Theology," etc. 

John and Charles Wesley, founders of Methodism, 
eminent as scholars, preachers, and hymnists. 

George Whitefield (i 714-1770), one of the most elo- 
quent pulpit orators that ever lived. 

Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamil- 
ton, and other American writers of the Period of the Revolu- 
tion. 

39. Describe the Age of Scott (1800-1830). 

The age of Scott is sometimes called the Age of Romantic 
Poetry. The reaction from the correct and artificial school 
of poetry, which had begun nearly a century earlier by Thom- 
son, and carried on by Burns and Cowper, was now com- 
plete, and reached its culmination in the metrical romances 
of Scott and the impassioned outbursts of Byron and Shelley. 

40. Mention the poets of the Age of Scott. 

Lord Byron (i 788-1 824), the most splendid genius of 
the age. His finest poem is "Childe Harold" ; his longest 
and most brilliant poem is "Don Juan." Among the best 
of his other works are "The Dream," "The Prisoner 01 
Chillon," "Mazeppa," "The Bride of Abydos," "Parisina," 
"The Giaour," and the "Siege of Corinth." 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 407 

Percy B. Shelley (i 792-1822) as a lyric poet is unex- 
celled ; author of "The Skylark," "The Sensitive Plant," and 
"The Cloud." 

Thomas Moore (1779-1852), whose principal poetical 
works are "Lalla Rookh," "The Last Rose of Summer," 
"Those Evening Bells," "Come, Ye Disconsolate," etc. 

John Keats (1796-1820) ; principal poems, "Endymion," 
"Hyperion," "The Eve of St. Agnes," "Ode on a Grecian 
Urn," and "Ode to a Nightingale." 

Thomas Campbell (1777-1844) ; principal poems, 
"Pleasures of Hope," "Gertrude of Wyoming," "Lochiel's 
Warning," "O'Connor's Child," and "Hohenlinden." 

William Wordsworth (i 770-1 850) ; principal work is 
"The Excursion" ; but most readers prefer his shorter poems, 
such as "Ode on Immortality," "Ode to Duty," "We are 
Seven," etc. 

Some other poets of this age are : 

Mrs. Felicia Hemans (1794-1835), author of "Vespers 
of Palermo," "Graves of the Household," "Casabianca," 
"Landing of the Pilgrims," etc. 

Robert Pollok (1799-1827), author of "The Course of 
Time." 

Thomas Hood (1798- 1845), wit and humorist, also 
author of "The Death Bed," "The Bridge of Sighs," "Song 
of the Shirt." 

James Sheridan Knowles (1784-1862), author of 
"Virginius," "The Wife," "The Hunchback," "William 
Tell," etc. 

American contemporaries: Robert Treat Paine, Joseph 
Rodman Drake, and Fitz-Greene Halleck. 

41. Mention the prominent prose writers of the Age of 
Scott. 

Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832). whose works are of 
three classes: Poems, Novels, and Miscellaneous. His prin- 
cipal poems are "The Lady of the Lake," "The Lay of the 



4o8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Last Minstrel," and "Marmion." His novels, known as the 
Waverley Novels, twenty-nine in number, are among the 
greatest creations of human genius. Among the best of them 
are "Waverley," "Guy Mannering," "Old Mortality,'-' 
"Heart of Midlothian," "Legend of Montrose," "Ivanhoe," 
and "Kenilworth." The most celebrated of his miscellaneous 
works are "Tales of a Grandfather," and "Letters on Demon- 
ology and Witchcraft." 

Robert Southey (1774-1843), whose best works are his 
"Life of Nelson," "Life of Cowper," and "Life of Wesley." 
His best poems are "Thalaba" and "Curse of Kehama." 

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), whose prose 
works 'are "Aids to Reflection," "The Friend," "Lectures on 
Shakespeare," "Table Talk," etc. His chief poems are "Rime 
of the Ancient Mariner" and "Christabel." 

Thomas De Quincy (1785- 1859), whose chief works 
are his "Confessions of an English Opium Eater," and his 
Essays. 

Charles Lamb (1775-1834), who wrote under the name 
of "Elia." 

42. Describe the Victorian Age (1830-188^). 

More great works have been produced in history, in phil- 
osophy, in science, and above all in fiction, than in any other 
era of the world's history. 

The authors may be divided into two classes: 

( 1 ) The PoETS^ represented by Tennyson, Mrs. Brown- 
ing, Robert Browning, Jean Ingelow, Swinburne, and Mor- 
ris. 

(2) The Prose Writers^ represented by Macaulay, 
Dickens, Thackeray, Lord Lytton, George Eliot, Sir William 
Hamilton, Darwin, Carlyle, and Ruskin. 

43. Mention the great poets of the Victorian Age. 
Alfred Tennyson (i 810-1892), whose finest poems are 

"The May Queen," "Locksley Hall," "The Princess," "In 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. A°9 

Memonam," "The Talking Oak," "Maud," "Enoch Ar- 
den," and "Idylls of the King." 

Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett Browning (i 807-1861), 
author of "Lady Geraldine's Courtship," "Casa Guidi Win- 
dows," "Bertha in the Lane," "Cowper's Grave," "The 
Cry of the Children," "A Child Asleep," etc. 

Robert Browning (i 812-1889), whose finest poems are 
"Pippa Passes," "A Blot on the Scutcheon," "Colombe's 
Birthday," "The Ring and the Book," "How They Brought 
the Good News from Ghent to Aix," etc. 

Jean Ingelow (1820-1897), author of "Songs of Seven," 
"The Letter L," "Songs of the Night Watches," "Songs 
with Preludes," "Songs on the Voices of Birds," and "High 
Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire." 

Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909) ; principal 
poems, "Atalanta in Calydon," "Chastelard," "A Song of 
Italy," and "Bothwell." 

William Morris (1834-1896) ; principal works, "The 
Life and Death of Jason" and "The Earthly Paradise." 
and Death of Jason" and "The Earthly Paradise." 

Other poets of this age are: Bryan Waller Procter, Ade- 
laide A. Procter, Coventry Patmore, Gerald Massey, Charles 
Mackay, "Owen Meredith" (Lord Lytton), Robert 
Buchanan, Sydney Dobell. 

44. Mention the prose writers of the Victorian Age. 

Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859); princi- 
pal works are his "Lays of Ancient Rome," "Essaja^," and 
"History of England." His ballads are "Horatius at the 
Bridge," "The Battle of Ivry," etc. 

Charles Dickens (1812-1870), one of the greatest 
novelists of all time. Among his best novels are "Pickwick 
Papers," "Nicholas Nickleby," "David Copperfield," "Dom- 
bry-and Son," "Our Mutual Ffiend," "The Old Curiosity 
Shop," "Great Expectations," and "Christmas Stories." 

Willlam" "Makepeace Thackeray '"( T8iT-i^63) , 






4IO COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

author of "Vanity Fair," "Pendennis," "Henry Esmond," 
"The Virginians," and "The Newcomes"; also author of 
two admirable courses of lectures on "The Four Georges" 
and "The English Humorists." 

Sir Edward George Bulwer-Lytton (formerly Bul- 
wer) ( 1 805-1873), whose principal works are "Pelham," 
"Eugene Aram," "The Last Days of Pompeii," "Rienzi," 
"The Caxtons," and "Kenelm Chillingly." He is also 
author of two excellent dramas, "Richelieu" and "The Lady 
of Lyons." 

Mrs. Marian C. Lewes (George Eliot) (1820- 1880). 
Principal works are "Adam Bedje," "The Mill on the Floss," 
"Romola," "Felix Holt the Radical," "Silas Marner," "Mid- 
dlemarch" and "Daniel Deronda." She is also author of 
"The Spanish Gypsy" and "Jubal and Other Poems." 

Sir William Hamilton (1788-1856), whose principal 
works are Essays from the Edinburgh Review^ his edition of 
Reid's Works, and his Lectures. 

Charles Darwin, F.R.S. ( 1809- 1882). Principal works, 
"The Variation of Animals and Plants," "The Origin of 
Species," "The Descent of Man," and "Expression in Man 
and Animals." 

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881), one of the most vigor- 
ous and original writers of the age. His greatest works are 
"Sartor Resartus," "Hero Worship," "The French Revolu- 
tion," "Life of Frederick the Great," etc. 

John Ruskin (1819-1900), the greatest art critic of his 
time. His most celebrated works are "Modern Painters," 
"Seven Lamps of Architecture," and "Stones of Venice." 

Some other prose writers of this age are: George Grote, 
Sir Archibald Alison, James Anthony Froude, Arthur Helps, 
Miss Agnes Strickland, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Disraeli, An- 
thony Trollope, Charles Reade, G. P. R. James, Charlotte 
Bronte, Wilkie Collins, Thomas Hughes, Capt. Mayne Reid, 
John Stuart Mill, Herbert Spencer, Sir David Brewster, 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 411 

Hugh Miller, Afrs. Mary Somerville, John Tyndall, Thom- 
as H. Huxley, Max Muller, Rt. Hon. William E. Glad- 
stone, Dean Stanley, Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, etc. 

45- When did American literature begin? 

In 1640, the year in which the first book was printed in 
this country. This was the "Bay Psalm Book." Most of 
the books produced in America before this time may be re- 
garded as English books, as they were not only printed in 
England, but were also intended mainly for English circula- 
tion. 

46. Hoiu is American literature divided? 
It may be divided into three periods: 

I. The Colonial Age, 1640-1760. 
11. The Revolutionary Age, 1760-1830. 
III. The American Age, 1830- 1886. 

47. Describe the Colonial Age (1640-1760). 

This age was unfavorable to literary production. It was 
an age of fighting rather than writing. Most of the litera- 
ture of this age is theological. This is owing to two causes : 
(i) That learning was mostly confined to the clergy; and 
(2) That the mingling of various sects, in a time of strong 
religious feeling, naturally provoked much theological dis- 
cussion. 

Its chief literary representatives are Cotton Mather 
(1663-1728) and Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758). 

The most celebrated works of Mather are "Magnalia 
Christi Americana," "Memorable Providences Relating to 
Witchcraft," and "The Wonders of the Invisible World." 

The greatest work of Edwards is "An Inquiry into the 
Freedom of the Will." 

48. Mentior some other authors of this age. 
John Eliot, "the apostle to the Indians," who translated 
the Bible ir ' "^ an Indian dialect. 



412 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Mrs. Ann Bradstreet^ the first American poetess, au- 
thor of "The Four Elements." 

Rev. Increase Mather^ father of Cotton Mather, and 
author of "Remarkable Providences." 

49. Describe the Revolutionary Age (ijdo-iSjo). 

In this age was fought, with tongue and pen and sword, 
the great battle of political independence. During all this 
period the chief subjects of thought and discussion were the 
rights of man and the principles of government. As a con- 
sequence, the literature of the age, both in prose and poetry, 
is almost exclusively of a political and patriotic character. 

The authors of this age may be divided Into two classes: 
I. The poets, represented by Drake and Halleck. 

II. The prose writers, represented by Franklin, Jefferson, 
Hamilton, Dwight, and Audubon. 

50. Mention the poets of the Revolutionary Age. 
Joseph Rodman Drake (i 795-1 820), author of two 

celebrated poems, "The American Flag" and "The Culprit 
Fay." 

Fitz-Greene Halleck (1790- 1867), whose poems are 
few but of great excellence. His principal poem, "Marco 
Bozzaris," is one of the very finest heroic odes in the English 
language. 

Other poets of this age are : Philip Freneau ; Judge Francis 
Hopkinson, author of a once celebrated humorous poem, 
"The Battle of the Kegs" ; Judge Joseph Hopkinson, author 
of "Hail Columbia"; Robert Treat Paine, author of the 
poem "Adams and Liberty"; Francis Scott Key, author of 
"The Star-Spangled Banner." 

51. Mention some of the prose writers of the Revolu- 
tionary Age. 

Benjamin Franklin (i 706-1 790), whose works con- 
sist of his Autobiography, his Essays, and his CoiTespondence. 

/ 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 4^^ 

Some of his short pieces, such as "The Whistle," "The 
Grindstone," and the "Dialogue with the Gout," have found 
their way into a large number of school readers ; and his wise 
sayings known as "Poor Richard's Maxims" are as familiar 
as the Proverbs of Solomon. 

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), author of "Notes on 
Virginia," etc. ; but his greatest work is the Declaration of 
Independence. 

Alexander Hamilton (i 757-1 804), whose fame as a 
writer rests chiefly upon his contributions to the Federalist, 
in which are expounded the principles of the Constitution. 

Dr. Timothy Dwight (1752-1817), whose principal 
prose work is "Theology Explained and Defended"; best 
poetic works are "Columbia," "Greenfield Hill." 

John James Audubon (i 780-1 851), whose greatest 
work is "The Birds of America." He and his sons subse- 
quently published a work entitled "Quadrupeds of America." 

•Some other prose writers of this age are: John Adams, 
James Madison, Judge H. H. Brackenridge, Dr. David 
Ramsay, Washington Allston, William Wirt, Alexander 
Wilson, Judge Kent, Judge Story, Chief Justice Marshall. 

52. Describe the American Age (1830-1886). 

In this age our literature began to assume a national im- 
portance and to show signs of a distinct national life. 

53. Mention some of the poets of this age, 

William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878), whose finest 
poems are "Thanatopsis," "Death of the Flowers," "Forest 
Hymn," "The Evening Wind," "Song of the Stars," "The 
Planting of the Appletree," "Waiting at the Gate," "The 
Flood of Year^." 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), whose 
most popular poems are "Evangeline," "Tales of a Wayside 
Inn," "Courtship of Miles Standish," "The Building of the 
Ship," "The Old Clock on the Stairs," "The Bridge," "The 



414 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Builders," "The Day is Done," "The Hanging of the 
Crane," and "Morituri Salutamus," etc. 

John Greenleaf Whittier (1808- 1892), whose most 
popular poems are: "Maud Muller," "Barbara Fritchie," 
"My Psalm," "My Playmate," "Snow-Bound," "Among the 
Hills," "A Tent on the Beach," "Mabel Martin," and 
"Centennial Hymn." His principal prose works are "Old 
Portraits and Modern Sketches" and "Literary Recreations." 

James Russell Lowell (1819-1891), whose best poems 
are "The Biglow Papers," "The Present Crisis," "Sir Laun- 
fal," "A Glance Behind the Curtain," "Under the Willow," 
"Commemorative Ode," "The First Snowfall," "Longing," 
and "The Changeling." His principal prose works are 
"Among My Books" and "My Study Window." 

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894), one of the most 
witty, original, and brilliant writers of the present day. His 
lyrics are "Union and Liberty," "Old Ironsides," "Welcome 
to All Nations," etc.; his humorous poems, "The One-Horse 
Shay," "My Aunt," etc. The best of his prose works is the 
series of papers contributed to the Atlantic Monthly, under 
the title of "The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table." These 
were followed by "The Professor at the Breakfast Table," 
"Elsie Venner" (a novel), "The Guardian Angel" (a 
novel), and "The Poet at the Breakfast Table." 

Edgar Allan Poe (1811-1849), author of several weird 
and powerful romances, among them "The Fall of the House 
of Usher," "The Gold Bug," and "The Murders of the Rue 
Morgue," and a number of poems, the most remarkable of 
which are "The Raven" and "The Bells." 

John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887), author of "The 
Briefless Barrister," "The Proud Miss McBride," and his 
travesties on "Orpheus and Eurydlce," "Pyramus and 
Thisbe," etc. 

Thomas Buchanan Read (1822-1872), whose most 
important poems are "The New Pastoral," "The House by 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 415 

the Sea," "The Wagoner of the Alleghanies," "Drifting," 
and "Sheridan's Ride." 

Bayard Taylor (1825- 1878), whose principal poems are 
"Poems of Home and Travel," "Poems of the Orient," 
"Picture of St. John," "The Poet's Journal," etc. ; also the 
following novels: "Hannah Thurston," "The Story of Ken- 
nett," "John Godfrey's Fortunes," etc. 

Miss Alice Cary (1820-1871), whose poems, together 
with her sister Phoebe's, fill several volumes. Among the 
best of her separate poems are "Thanksgiving," "Pictures of 
Memory," "The Bridal Veil," "The Poet to the Painter," 
etc. Among her prose works are "Clovernook," "Married 
not Mated," "Hollywood," and "Pictures of Country Life." 

Thomas Bailey Aldrich (1836-1907), whose poems are 
"Babie Bell," "The Face Against the Pane," "Friar Jerome's 
Beautiful Book," etc. His principal novels are "The Story 
of a Bad Boy," "Marjorie Daw and Other People," etc. 

Edmund Clarence Stedman (1833-1908), author of 
"The Doorstep," "Pan in Wall Street," "At Twilight," 
"John Brown of Ossawatomie," etc. 

Dr. J. G. Holland (1819-1881) ; principal poems, "Bit- 
ter-Sweet," "Kathrina," and "Mistress of the Manse." Some 
of his best prose works are "Gold Foil," "Lessons in Life," 
"Plain Talks," "Timothy Titcomb's Letters," etc. 

Francis Bret Harte (1839- 1902), whose best dialect 
poems are "The Heathen Chinee," "The Society upon the 
Stanislaus," "In the Tunnel," etc. Of those in pure English 
are "Dickens in Camp," "The Mountain Heart's-ease," 
"Concha," etc. Among the best of his prose sketches are 
"The Luck of Roaring Camp," "The Idyl of Red Gulch," 
"The Outcasts of Poker Flat," etc. 

CiNciNNATUS Heine Miller (1841- ), known as 
Joaquin Miller, author of "Songs of the Sierras," "Songs of 
Sun-Lands," and "The Ship of the Desert," etc. 



41 6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

54. Mention some of the prose writers of the Atnerican 
Age. 

Washington Irving (i 783-1 859), whose most interest- 
ing works are "Knickerbocker," "Bracebridge Hall," "The 
Sketch Book," "The Alhambra," "The Conquest of Grana- 
da," "Life of Washington," etc. 

William H. Prescott ( i 796-1 859 ); 'principal works, 
"Ferdinand and Isabella," "Conquest of Mexico," "Conquest 
of Peru," etc. 

George Bancroft (1800-1891), whose great work is a 
history of the United States. 

John Lothrop Motley (1814-1877) ; great works, 
"Rise of the Dutch Republic," "History of the United 
Netherlands," and "John of Barnaveldt." 

James Fenimore Cooper (i 789-1 851), whose most pop- 
ular novels are "The Spy," "The Prairie," "The Last of the 
Mohicans," "The Pilot." Besides these works he published 
"Naval History of the United States," "Lives of American 
Naval Officers," etc. 

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864). Of his many 
works may be mentioned the following: "Twice-told Tales,'' 
"Mosses from an Old Manse," "The Scarlet Letter," "The 
House of the Seven Gables," "The Blithedale Romance," 
and "The Marble Faun." 

Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe (18 12- 1896), whose 
principal work is "Uncle Tom's Cabin." The best of her 
other works are "The Minister's Wooing," "Oldtown 
Folks," "Oldtown Fireside Stories," and "My Wife and I." 

Edward Everett (1794- 1865), whose chief works are 
his orations, which are among the noblest ever written. 
Among his best efforts are his "Address at the Dedication of 
the Dudley Observatory" and the "Eulogy of Washington." 

Daniel Webster (1782-1852), whose fame rests upon 
his orations and speeches. His masterpieces are his Plymouth 



ENGLISH LITERATURE, 417 

Rock and Bunker Hill orations, his "Eulogy on Adams and 
JefFerson," and his great speech in reply to Hayne. 

Louis J. R. Agassiz (1807-1873), most eminent natural- 
ist of modern times; principal works, "Methods of Study 
in Natural History," "Geological Sketches," and "A Journey 
in Brazil" (by himself and wife). 

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), "the Sage of 
Concord," whose principal works are "Representative Men," 
"English Traits," and several volumes of essays. 

Richard Grant White (1822-1885) ; chief works, Edi- 
tion of Shakespeare, "Life of Shakespeare," and "Words and 
Their Uses." 

Henry Ward Beecher (181 3-1887), author of "Star 
Papers," "Eyes and Ears," "Norwood," "Yale Lectures on 
Preaching," etc. 

55. Mention some of the later American novelists. 

William Dean Howells (1837- )> the most noted 
author the West has contributed. He depends on the refine- 
ment of his style, the accuracy of his description, and the 
elaboration of his subject for his place at the head of the 
Realists. His foremost works are "The Rise of Silas 
Lapham," "Indian Summer," "The Coast of Bohemia," 
"Criticism and Fiction." 

Edward Everett Hale (1822- 1909), clergyman, philan- 
thropist, journalist, is characterized by his rollicl^ing humor 
and optimistic spirit. Famous as a historian. Read "A Man 
Without a Country," "The Brick Moon," "In His Name," 
"Franklin in France." 

Edward Eggleston (183 7- 1902), historian and clergy- 
man. Chief works are "Hoosier Schoolmaster," "The Cir- 
cuit Rider," "The Graysons," "Household History of the 
United States." 

Francis Marion Crawford (1854-1909), midway be- 
tween Realists and Idealists. Works have a foreign air. 



4i8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

Most famous works- "Sant' Ilario," "Mr. Isaacs," "Saracines- 
ca," "Roma Immortalis." 

Frank Richard Stockton (1834-1902), writer of 
romantic fiction abounding in humor. He deals with fantasy. 
Best products are "Rudder Grange," "The Lady or the 
Tiger?" "Negative Gravity." 

56. Quotations from English Authors. 

1. Truth is the highest thing a man may keep. 

Chaucer. 

2. Oh, how can beauty master the most strong, 
And simple truth subdue avenging wrong. 

Spencer. 

3. Neither a borrower nor a lender be; 
For loan oft loses both itself and friend. 
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. 

Shakespeare. 

4. No pleasure is comparable to the standing on the 

vantage-ground of truth. Bacon. 

5. Accuse not Nature: she hath done her part. 

Do thou but thine. Milton. 

6. He that forgets his friend is ungrateful to him, 

But he that forgets his Savior is ungrateful to himself. 

Bunyan. 

7. Three poets* in three distant ages born, 
Greece, Italy and England did adorn; 
The first in loftiness of thought surpassed, 
The next in majesty, in both the last; 
The force of Nature could no further go ; 
To make the third she joined the other two. 

Dryden. 

* Homer, Virgil, Milton. 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 419 

8. Vice is a monster of so frightful a mien, 
As to be hated, needs but to be seen ; 
But seen too oft, familiar with her face, 
We first endure, then pity, then embrace. 

Pope. 

9. A cheerful temper, joined with innocence, will make 

beauty attractive, knowledge delightful, and wit 
good-natured. Addison. 

10. Man wants but little here below, 
Nor wants that little long. 

Goldsmith. 

11. Full many a gem of purest ray serene, 

The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear; 
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen. 
And waste its sweetness on the desert air. 

Gray. 

12. But pleasures are like poppies spread, 
You seize the flower, its bloom is shed; 
Or like the snow-fall in the river, 

A moment white, then melts forever. Burns. 

13. God made the country, and man made the town. 

Cowper. 

14. Knowledge is of two kinds: we know a subject our- 

selves, or we know where we can find information 
upon it. Sam. Johnson. 

15. To read without reflecting is like eating without 

digesting. Burke. 

16. The drying up of a single tear has more 

Of honest fame than shedding seas of gore. 

Byron. 

17. Let Fate do her worst, there are relicts of Joy, 
Bright dreams of the past, which she cannot destroy; 
They come in the night-time of sorrow and care. 

And bring back the features that Joy used to wear. 

Moore. 



420 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

1 8. A thing of beauty is a joy forever. 

Keats. 

19. Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting; 

The soul that rises with us, our life's star, 
Hath had elsewhere its setting, 
And Cometh from afar. 

Wordsworth. 

20. Oh, many a shaft at random sent. 
Finds mark the archer little meant, 
And many a word at random spoken, 

May soothe or wound a heart that's broken. 

Scott. 

21. Call not that man wretched who, whatever ills he suf- 

fers, has a child to love. Southey. 

22. Religion is the most gentlemanly thing in the world. 

Coleridge. 

23. I hold it true, whate'er befall, 

I feel it when I sorrow most, 
'Tis better to have loved and lost. 
Than never to have loved at all. 

Tennyson. 

24. As the moths around a taper. 

As the bees around a rose, 
As the gnats around a vaper, 

So the spirits group and close 
Round about a holy childhood, 
As if drinking its repose. 

Mrs. Browning. 

25. No man doth well but God hath part in him. 

Swinburne. 

26. There is only one cure for the evils which newly ac- 

quired freedom produces, and that cure is freedom. 

Macaulay. 

27. There is no substitute for thorough-going, ardent, 

sincere earnestness. Dickens. 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 421 

28. If fun is good, truth is better, and love best of all. 

Thackeray. 

29. Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our 

deeds. George Eliot. 

30. There can hardly be a doubt that we are descended 

from barbarians. Darwin. 

31. Earnestness alone makes life eternity. Carlyle. 

32. I believe the first test of a truly great man is his 

humility. Ruskin, 

57. Quotations from American Authors. 

1. You are young and have the world before you; stoop 

as you go through it, and you will miss many a 
hard thump. Cotton Mather. 

2. When Freedom, from her mountain height, 

Unfurled her standard to the air, 
She tore the azure robe of night 
And set the stars of glory there. 

Drake. 

3. If you would learn the value of money, go and try to 

borrow some, for he that goes a-borrowing goes 
a-sorrowing. Franklin. 

4. We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men 
are created free and equal; that they are endowed 
by their Creator with certain unalienable rights ; that 
among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness. Jefferson. 

5. I love thy kingdom. Lord, 
The house of Thy abode. 
The church our blessed Redeemer saved 
With His own precious blood. 

Timothy Dwight. 



42 2 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

6. Truth crushed to earth will rise again, 
The eternal years of God are hers; 
But Error, wounded, writhes in pain, 
And dies amid his worshipers. 



Bryant. 



7. All are architects of fate, 

Working in these walls of time. 

Some with massive deeds and great, 

Some with ornaments of rhyme. 

Longfellow. 

8. Day hath put on his jacket and around his burning 

bosom buttoned it with stars. Whittier. 

9. In battle or business, whatever the game. 
In law or in love, it is ever the same. 

In the struggle for power, or the scramble for pelf, 
Let this be your motto: Rely on yourself. 

Saxe. 

10. Only a woman knows a woman's need. 

Bayard Taylor. 

11. I hold that Christian grace abounds 

Where charity is seen, that when 
We climb to heaven, 'tis on the rounds 
Of love to men. 

Alice Gary. 

12. One sweetly solemn thought 

Comes to me o'er and o'er. 
That I'm nearer my home to-day 
Than I've ever been before. 
Phcebe Cary. 

13. Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune, 
but great minds rise above it. Irving. 

14. If you are about to strive for j-our life, take with you 

a stout heart and a clean conscience, and trust the 
rest to God. James Fenimore Cooper. 



ENGLISH LITERATURE. 423 

15. No fountain is so small but that heaven may be 

imaged in its bosom. Hawthorne. 

16. Composition is the flowering out of a man's mind. 

Harriet Beecher Stoive. 

17. There is no evil vi^hich we cannot face or fly from, 

but the consciousness of duty disregarded. 

fVebster. 

18. Fear God, and where you go men shall think they 

walk in hallowed cathedrals. Emerson. 

19. In this country one gets a mouthful of education, but 

scarcely anyone a full meal. 

Theodore Parker. 

20. Of all music, that which reaches farthest into heaven 

is the beating of a loving heart. 

Henry Ward Beecher. 
•21. One and God makes a majority. 

Fred Douglas. 
22. Sin has many tools, but a lie is a handle that fits them 
all. Holmes, 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND 
HYGIENE. 



1. What is physiology! 

The science of the organic functions of animals or plants. 

2. Show the value of knowing physiology. 

By a proper knowledge of this subject strength may be 
preserved, and life saved or lengthened. In case of acci- 
dents, as of poisoning, drowning, or any bodily injury, this 
knowledge may be of great value to us in relieving sickness 
and distress. 

3. Into what two classes are all bodies in nature divided! 
Into organic and inorganic bodies. 

4. Define organic bodies. 

They are those bodies which possess organs on whose 
actions depend their growth and perfection, like animals 
and plants. 

5. Define inorganic bodies. 

They are devoid of organs, or instruments of life, like 
the minerals. 

6. What is anatomy! 

The science of the structure of animal bodies. 

425 



426 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

7. What is hygiene 1 

That branch of medicine which treats of the preservation 
of health. 

8. What law is impj-essed on all animal beings? 
The law of continual change. 

9. What is the difference between food and living flesh ? 
Food is the material we eat, changed by the action of 

the system into living flesh. 

ID. How are plants nourished? 

By the inorganic elements found in the earth and air 
around them. This material is received in the form of a 
liquid or a gas, already prepared for their use. 

11. JIo7U are animals flourished? 

By the organic materials of vegetables or of other 
animals. 

12. What do animals always possess? 

A stomach or digestive cavity, in which the food is pre- 
pared before it can be absorbed by the machinery of 
the body. 

13. What functions are peculiar to animals alone? 
Sensation and voluntary motion; these are, therefore, 

called animal functions. 

1 4. What organs constitute the digestive apparatus ? 

The mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas and 
intestinal canal. 

1 5. What differences are there in the teeth of the carnivorous 
and the herbivorous animals? 

The carnivorous animals have sharp front teeth, long, 
sharp and pointed canine teeth, and grinders with high 
and sharpened points. The herbivorous have short, blunt 
and strong front teeth and small canine teeth, but their 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 427 

molars are very large, broad and flat, with slightly raised 
lines on their surface. 

16. How many teeth has man, and how divided? 
Sixteen in each jaw: four incisors in the centre; one 

canine next to the incisors on each side; then two bicus- 
pids and three molars. 

17. Of what are teeth composed? 

Of soft bone within, but with a cover of very hard 
enamel which admits of an exquisitely fine polish. 

18. How are the teeth set in the jaw? 

With long fangs, so that they may not easily be started 
from their places. 

1 9. What are salivary glands ? 

Glands which empty their fluid into the mouth. Their 
function is to secrete fluid to moisten the food during mas- 
tication, and assist digestion. 

20. Where are the' salivary glands situated? 

The two larger ones, called parotid glands, are situated 
between the ear and upper part of the jaw. Two smaller 
ones, called submaxillary, are situated about half way be- 
tween the symphesis, or centre. Smaller ones still, called 
sublingual, are underneath the tongue. 

21. Describe the pharynx, or second chamber of the mouth. 
It is separated from the mouth by the palate. Four 

passages open out of it: one leads forward to the mouth; 
a second, upward to the nose; a third, downward to the 
lungs; and a fourth, backward to the stomach. 

22. What is the epiglottis ? 

A small valve placed over the mouth of the trachea, 
admitting air, but excluding all foreign substances. 

23. Describe the oesophagus. 

It is a soft, muscular tube, extending from the pharynx 



428 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

to the stomach, and is about nine inches in length, and 
somewhat less than one inch in diameter. It is composed 
principally of two muscular coats; the fibres of one run 
lengthwise of the tube, and the fibres of the other pass 
around it in a circular manner. 

24. How does food find its way to the stomach 1 

Upon being forced back in the mouth to the pharynx, 
its presence causes the muscles of the pharynx to contract 
upon it. This is the act of swallowing, and is beyond the 
control of the will. The circular fibres of the muscles of 
the oesophagus seize upon the morsel of food, and contract- 
ing, force it downward until it reaches the stomach. 

25. Describe the stomach. 

It is an oval sac, situated below the diaphragm on the 
same plane with the liver, and lies mostly on the left side 
of the spine. It has two openings: an upper, or cardiac 
orifice, where the oesophagus enters, and a lower, or pyloric 
orifice, which enters into the duodenum. It is composed 
of three coats: an outer, or serous coat, which is the same 
as that which lines the whole abdomen ; a middle, or mus- 
cular coat, composed of two layers of fibres, longitudinal 
and circular, the contraction of which moves the food 
about the stomach during digestion; and an inner or 
mucous coat, containing the gastric tubules, which secrete 
the gastric juice. 

26. By what is food dissolved in the stomach ? 
By a powerful fluid called the gastric juice. 

27. Describe the process of digestion in the stomach. 

The presence of food in the stomach causes the gastric 
juice to be secreted. The muscles of the stomach move 
the food about, which causes the gastric juice to be thor- 
oughly intermingled with it. The gastric juice reduces 
the food to a pulpy mass, usually within three or four 



PHYSIOL OGV, ANA TO MY AND HYGIENE. 429 

hours, and it is then passed out of the stomach at the 
pyloric orifice. 

28. Of what is gastric juice composed 2 

It is composed of an acid supposed to be lactic 'or hydra 
chloric acid, and an organic substance called pepsin. 

29. Name the fluids of the body. 

The blood, chyle, lymph, saliva, gastric juice, pancreatic 
juice, synovia, mucus, and serum. Bile, sweat, and urine 
are excretions. 

30. Name the solids of the body. 

The bones, teeth, cartilages, ligaments, muscles, nerves, 
vessels, viscera, membranes, skin, hair, and nails. 

31. Give the list of chemical elements in the human body. 
Oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, sodium, potassium, chlorine, 

nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, fluor- 
ine, silicon, iron, and manganese. 

32. Into what classes of substances are these elements 
divided? 

Into metallic and non-metallic substances. 

33. Which are the metallic substances? 

Potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and man- 
ganese. 

34. Give the arrangement of the parts of the body. 

They are arranged into fibres, fasciculi, tissues, organs, 
apparatuses, and systems. 

35. Define a fibre. 

It is a thread of exceeding fineness, and may be round 
or flattened. 

36. Define a fasciculus. 

It is the term applied to several fibres united. 



43° COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

37. What is 7neant by a tissue? 

The term tissue is applied to several different solids of 
the body. 

38. Define an organ. 

An organ is an instrument composed of tissues, and 
designed for action. 

39. What is the action of an organ called^ 
It is called its function or use. 

40. Give a?i example of an organ and its functions. 

The liver is an organ, and the secretion of bile its 
function. 

41. Define an apparatus. 

An apparatus consists of a number of different organs 
for the performance of some office. The teeth, mouth, 
stomach, intestines, etc., belong to the digestive apparatus. 

42. Define a system. 

It is a connected series of similar parts, such as the 
muscular or nervous system. 

43. To what can every organ of the body be reduced i 

To a few tissues, as the cellular, osseous, muscular, 
mucous and nervous. 

44. What tissue is the primary form? 

The cellular or areolar tissue is regarded as the primary 
form of all others. 

45. How is the cellular tissue formed? 

By the crossing or interlacing of minute fibres, inter- 
woven in every direction, so as to form a web-like membrane 
with innumerable small spaces, which communicate with 
each other. 

46. Where is the cellular tissue formed? 

In every part of the system, except in compact portions 
of bone, teeth and cartilage. 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 431 

47. What is the chief use of this tissue? 

To connect together organs and parts of organs which 
require a certain degree of motion on each other. 

48. What is its chief characteristic? 

It possesses great power of elasticity. 

49. What different names have been given to cellular tissue? 
Different ones, according to its position in the body. 

Where it is not exposed to the air it is called the serous 
membrane, from a fluid in it called serum. In the lining 
of the respiratory passages and of the alimentary canal it 
is called mucous membrane. Where it forms a covering 
for the body, it is called the dermoid membrane, or skin. 

50. Describe the osseous tissue. 

In composition and arrangement of matter, it varies at 
different periods of life, and in different bones. In some 
instances the bony matter is disposed in plates, while in 
other instances the arrangement is cylindrical, and again 
it is spongy, or porous. 

51. Describe the muscular tissue. 

It is composed of many fibres that unite to form 
fasciculi, each of which is enclosed in a delicate layer of 
cellular tissue. 

52. Describe the nervous tissue. 

It consists of soft, pulpy matter, enclosed in a sheath 
called neurilema^ and consists of two substances, the one a 
pulpy matter, gray in color, and called cineritious (ash- 
colored), while the other is of a fibrous character and white 
and called medullary (marrow-like). 

53. What are the chief divisions of the economy of the 
human system^ for convenience of discussion? 

Osteology^ an account of the bones or framework of the 
system; Myology, an account of the muscles or the moving 



432 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

power of the system; Splanchnology, an account of the 
nutritive organs; Angiology, an account of the circulating 
system of the arteries and veins; Fneumonology, an account 
of the respiratory, vocal, and calorific organs; Chorology, 
the secreting system; Neurology, the history of the nervous 
system ; and The inlets of the soul, the senses. 

5 4. Wh at is h unger 1 

A sensation of want of more nutriment in the body. It 
is caused by the action of the blood on the terminal 
branches of the nerves in the mucous coat of the stomach. 

55. What are the relative positions of the stomach, lungs, 
liver and diaphragm ? 

The lungs lie within the walls of the thorax, separated 
from the abdomen by a broad muscle, the diaphragm. 
Under the riglit lung, below the diaphragm, lies the liver, 
and to the left the stomach. 

56. To what substance is all food reduced ifi the stomach? 
A pulpy substance, called chyme. 

57. Does the stomach digest fatty articles offoodl 

It does not; they are digested by the pancreatic and 
intestinal juices. 

58. What is the temperature of the stomach? 
About 100° F. 

59. Can food be digested artificially ? 

It can. If food be thoroughly mixed with hydrochloric 
acid and pepsin, and kept at an equal temperature of 100°, 
it will be reduced in a few hours to a homogeneous mass 
somewhat resembling chyme. 

60. What three kinds of food do we need? 
Nitrogenous, carbonaceous and mineral food. 

61. What is niti-ogenous food? 

That which contains much nitrogen. The most common 
forms are whites of eggs, lean meat, gluten and caseine. 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 433 

62. What is carbonaceous food] 

That which contains much carbon; it consists of two 
kinds, the sugars and the fats. 

63. Name the mineral matters which should be contained 
in our food] 

Limited quantities of iron, sulphur, magnesia, phos- 
phorus, salt and potash. 

64. Could a person live on one ki7id of food alone] 

He could not. A person fed on starch would have 
nothing of which to make muscle, and if the diet was con- 
tinued he would die of nitrogen starvation. 

65. State the five evil results of rapid and unwise eating. 
A lack of saliva with the food; resistance of the coarse 

pieces to the action of the digestive fluids; the dilution of 
the gastric juice; the overcrowding of the stomach and the 
over-stimulation of the digestive organs. 

66. Why should care be banished from, the table] 

Care or grief restrains digestion. The nervous action 
holds the nourishing organs of the s;ystem back. But with 
merrime*t and pleasant thoughts the opposite is the case. 

67. Will a regular routine of food' ^e beneficial] 

By a regular routine of food thi appetite becomes in- 
different, and long continuance gen orally produces a sick- 
ness from disgust. 

68. What are the principal causes f dyspepsia ] 
Overtaxing the digestive organs- This may come from 

too much food, irregularity of eating, drinking strong 
drinks, etc 

69. What is the best remedy for a bilious man 1 

Work. Not to the point of physical prostration, but to 
such an extent that the body demands nourishment and 
the muscles to be recruited. Nature will then build her 
self up to supply this demand. 



434 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 



70. What is the pyloric valve 1 

It is no real valve, but simply a narrowing or contrac- 
tion of the pyloric end of the stomach. 

71. How long does it take our chief articles of food to 
disresti 



ARTICLES 



CONDITION 








Hrs. 


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20 


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Apples, hard, sour. . 
Apples, sweet, mellow 

Barley 

Beef, fresh, rare . . 
Beef, steak .... 
Bread, wheat, fresh . 
Cake, sponge . 
Cheese, old. . . . 
Codfish, salt, dry. . 
Ducks, wild. . 
Eggs, fresh .... 
Eggs, fresh .... 
Eggs, fresh, whipped. 

Milk, new 

Mutton, fresh . . . 
Oysters, fresh . . . 
Oysters, fresh . . 
Pigs' feet, soused. . 
Pork, fat and lean. 
Pork, salted. . . . 
Potatoes, Irish. . . 
Potatoes, Irish. . . 

Rice 

Sausage 

Soup, barley . . . 
Soup, oyster. . . . 
Tripe, soused . . 
Trout, fresh. . . . 
Veal, fresh .... 
Venison, steak. . . 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIEI^E. 435 

72. What does organic food comprise? 

Nitrogenous substances; fats; compounds of carbon and 
hydrogen, such as sugar or starch. 

73. What does inorganic food comprise? 

Inorganic food comprises water and alkalies, such as salt, 
phosphates, etc. 

74. What is the first work of the stomach in digestion? 

To get rid of the greater part of the fluid which has 
been swallowed with the food. 

75. Into what organ does the chyme pass from the 
stomach f 

Into the duodenum. 

76. Describe the intestinal canat. 

It is composed of three coats, arranged in a manner 
similar to the stomach, and for similar purposes, the mucous 
coat secreting the intestinal juice, which aids digestion. 
It is divided into the large and small intestines; the small 
intestine is subdivided into the duodenum, jejunum, and 
ileum; and between the ileum and the large intestine is a 
perfect valve, which allows nothing to pass back that has 
once entered the large intestine from the ileum. 

7 7. What is the pancreas ? 

A long, narrow gland, situated immediatly below and 
behind the stomach. 

78. What is the office of the pancreas? 

It secretes the pancreatic juice, which is emptied into the 
duodenum, and digests the fatty parts of food. 

79. What are the lacteal absorbents ? 

Numberless minute tubules in the intestinal mucous 
membrane, which take up by absorption the nutriments, 
and convey them to the blood. These tubules join together; 



436 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

forming other tubules, which again join, and this continues 
until all are united in the thoracic duct. 

80. What is the lacteal duct? 

The duct into which all the lacteal absorbents empty; it 
is sometimes called the thoracic duct. It passes upward 
along the spine, and empties into the left subclavian vein. 

8 1 . What is called the lacteal system 1 

The lacteal absorbents, the tubes which they form by 
joining together, and the lacteal duct. 

82. How is the digested food disposed? 

In the duodenum it is divided, part entering the blood- 
vessels, and the rest the waste. 

83. What is chyle? 

Food reduced to a whitish-colored fluid, and ready to be 
absorbed by the lacteals. 

84. When is a ?tew supply of nutriment needed? 

When the lacteal absorbents have consumed the chyle 
and carried it into the veins, and the blood can no longer 
meet the demands of the wasting flesh. 

85. Will the stomach bear sudden changes in the time of 

eating? 

Not without some complaint. One's appetite returns at 
established periods; then his stomach craves food, and the 
gastric juice is ready to flow and dissolve it. 

86. When does the body sustain labor and exposure best? 
When it is best nourished. 

87. Why do growing youths or convalescents require mart 
food than adults or persons in health ? 

In order to meet the new conditions and supply the ne-w 
wants of the system. 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 437 

88. What is the common error i?i regard to eating? 

That to please the palate, food not easily digested may 
safely be eaten, and more than the system requires. 

8g. When any organ of the body is in action^ what changes 
occur? 

The nervous force of the part is increased, and the circu- 
lation of the blood quickened, to supply the waste and sup- 
port its powers. 

90. What is the office of the liver? 

To form the bile, the elements of which are separated 
from the blood. 

91. Where is the bile emptied? 

Through a duct into the duodenum. It selves to keep 
the intestinal contents in a healthy condition. 

92. Where is the spleen? 

On the left side of the spine. 

93. What is the office of the spleen? 

It is a ductless gland, and its office is not accurately 
known. 

94. What is fatigue? 

A waste of the particles of the system by exercise greater 
than the new materials supplied by the blood. 

95. What is rest ? 

The restoration of the materials wasted by fatigue. 

96. What are the different temperaments of men ? 

The nervous, the sanguitle, the bilious and the lymphatic. 

97. Describe persons of nervous temperament. 

Those in whom the nervous system predominates, who 
are easily elated or depressed, whose mental actions are 
performed with rapidity. 



438 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

98. Describe persons of a sanguine temperament. 

Those in whom the circulatory system predominates j 
who are strong, but at the same time active; who are bold 
and resolute, and always hopeful. 

99. Describe persons with the bilious temperam.ent. 
Those in whom the physical system predominates; who 

are Strong in mind and body, but not quick; who are calm, 
steady and persevering. 

100. Who have the lymphatic temperamentl 

Those in whom the lymphatic system predominates — • 
who are indisposed to exertion and unexcitable. 

loi. How does childhood differ from age? 

lo childhood the blood flows rapidly, the muscles are 
easily stimulated to action, the nervous system is irritable, 
and the feelings and passions are readily quickened. In 
age, all the powers, feelings, and passions are in an opposite 



S02. Does this differetice require a modification of diet? 
The elastic period requires a mild and soothing diet, 
llle the inactive period needs more stimulating food. 

103. What two things ought to be considered in all kinds 
of food? 

Their digestibility, and the quantity of nutriment con- 
tained in them. 

104. What are the 7iatural effects of stimulation? 

When any part of the body is rubbed with pepper, mus- 
tard, or spirits, it creates an irritation ; the blood flows to 
the place more abundantly; there is greater action and 
quicker life ; but these effects soon cease, and then the skin 
is pale, the circulation is more languid, for unusual action 
of the muscles causes fatigue. 

105. What is the effect of alcohol? 

It is quick in action, both in excitement and in exhaus* 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 439 

tion. To a healthy stomach it must be injurious, for it 
gives merely temporary strength; it only quickens the 
action and expenditure of power already existing, leaving 
the stomach to fall below its natural standard. 

106. What becomes of the chyle? 

It is taken up by the lacteal absorbents, carried through 
the lacteal tubes to the thoracic duct, and thence emptied 
into the left subclavian vein near the heart. 

107. What constitutes the apparatus for the circulation of 
the blood? 

The heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins. 

108. Describe the heart. 

It is a hollow, muscular organ of conical form, placed 
between the lungs, lying more in the left then in the right 
cavity of the chest. It is about five inches in length, three 
inches and a half in breadth, and two inches and a half in 
thickness; and weighs from eight to twelve ounces. It is 
divided by a septum into two lateral halves; and a trans- 
verse constriction divides each half into two cavities, the 
upper cavity on each side being called the auricle, and the 
lower the ventricle. 

109. What is the beating of the heart? 

When the heart contracts, to send the blood out, the 
apex is thrown forward and strikes against the ribs of the 
left side, near the breast bone, where the beating is very 
easily felt. 

1 10. How do the valves of the heart act? 

In the passage-ways of the heart valves are placed, which 
open to allow the blood to pass downward, but close to 
prevent its passing upward. 

111. How many sets of blood-vessels are there? 
Three: the arteries, the veins, and the capillaries. 



440 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

112. Describe the arteries. 

They are tubular vessels, which serve to convey the 
blood from both ventricles of the heart to every part of 
the body. They are composed of three coats; internal 
middle and external. The middle coat consists of mus- 
cular and elastic fibres principally, which make the larger 
arteries very elastic. 

113. Describe the action of the veins. 

The veins return the blood from the capillaries to the 
heart, communicating very freely with one another. 

114. Describe the capillaries. 

They are minute terminal branches of the arteries, and 
pervade nearly every tissue of the body in a vast net-work. 

115. What is the difference between the pulmonary and the 
systemic circulation! 

In the pulmonary circulation the blood is conveyed to 
the lungs to be purified, and then brought back to the 
heart; in the systemic circulation the blood is carried to 
every part of the system, and returned by the veins to the 
heart. 

116. Explain the circulation of the blood. 

By a contraction of the heart the blood is forced from 
the left ventricle through the aortic valves into the aorta, 
and through all the arteries of the body, to the upper and 
lower extremities and the internal organs. From these 
various points it enters the capillaries, where all the 
changes in the system are produced; and is then taken up 
by the veins, and returned as venous blood to the right 
auricle of the heart. From the right auricle it passes 
through a valvular constriction into the right ventricle; 
from the right ventricle it is forced through valves into the 
pulmonary arteries, which carry it to the lungs; and from 
the lungs it is returned to the heart through the pulmonary 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 441 

veins, entering the left auricle of the heart, and passing to 
the left ventricle, the point of beginning. 

117. What is the aorta i 

The largest artery in the systemic circulation. It passes 
upward from the heart at first, describes a curve, and goes 
downward, passing through the diaphragm and along the 
spinal column. The curved part is called the arch of the 
aorta; between the arch and the diaphragm it is called the 
thoracic aorta, and below the diaphragm the abdominal 
aorta. 

118. Where are the carotids'} 

Arteries carrying blood upward along the neck ; the left 
carotid arises from the arch of the aorta; the right from 
the arteria innominata, a large vessel springing from the 
aorta. 

119. What do the subdavians do? 
They carry blood to the arms. 

120. Where are the subdavians? 

The left subclavian arises from the arch of the aorta; 
the right from the arteria nominata. 

121. What arteries supply the stomach with bloodl 

The gastric artery, arising from the coeliac, which arises 
from the abdominal aorta; also a branch from the splenic 
artery, and one from the hepatic. 

122. How is the liver supplied? 

The liver is supplied by the hepatic artery, a branch of 
the coeliac axis. 

123. How are the kidneys supplied? 
By the renal arteries. 

124. How is the spleen supplied? 

By the splenic artery, the third branch of the coeliac axis 



442 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

125. How is the iiitestinal catial supplied! 

By the superior and inferior messenteric arteries. 

126. How is the heart supplied! 

By the coronary arteries, small branches from the aorta, 

127. What are the ch ief divisions of the aorta ? 

The subclavian, carotid, cceliac, hepatic, renal and 
splenic, here the aorta branches off to go to the extremities, 
the two branches which pass through the groins are called 
the inguinal arteries, and where they enter the thighs, the 
femoral arteries. 

128. What is the vena cava? 

There are two vessels by this name, one called the 
superior and the other the inferior vena cava. The 
superior vena cava is formed by the junction of the two 
innominate veins, which in turn are formed from the 
subclavian and jugular veins. The inferior vena cava is 
formed from the junction of the two iliac veins, which are 
supplied by the femoral and other veins. Both vessels 
empty into the right auricle of the heart. 

129. What are the names of the larger branches of the vena 
cava! 

The jugular, subclavian, and inguinal veins. 

130. How are the arteries or veins arranged in respect to 
each other! 

The arteries begin at the heart, and end in all the parts 
of the body, in minute tubes. The veins, on the contrary, 
begin in the flesh of all parts of the body at the connecting 
link (the capillaries), and end in one large trunk, the vena 
cava, at the heart. 

131. How does the blood pass through the heart! 

By the contraction of the heart, which forces the blood 
from one chamber to another: first, from the right auricle 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 443 

to the right ventricle, then to the lungs, and then back to 
the heart, passing through the left auricle and left ventricle. 

132. How do the pulmonary arteries and pulmonary veins 
difer? . 

The pulmonary arteries convey venous blood from the 
heart to the lungs, where it is purified, and then returned 
to the heart by the pulmonary veins as arterial blood. 

133. Where are the largest arteries situated! 

Deep in the flesh, where they are protected from injury. 
Some of them approach the surface, and their pulsation can 
be felt at the wrist, at the sides of the neck and on the 
temple. 

134. Where are the largest veins situated? 

Their great trunks are placed near the great arteries, but, 
being less liable to injury, their branches are situated 
nearer to, and more of them on, the surface, than the 
arterial branches. 

135. What prevents the blood in the veins from flowing 
backward? 

Valves placed at proper intervals on the inner coat of 
the veins. The long veins are the best supplied, and some 
veins have no valves. 

136. How does venous blood differ from arterial? 

Venous blood is of a dark purple color, loaded with the 
waste particles of the system. The arterial blood is of a 
bright scarlet color, purified of all waste matter, rich in 
oxygen and nutritious elements. 

137. What action have the lungs upon the blood? 

The venous blood is purified by means of the air in the 
lungs, which gives up its oxygen, and absorbs the carbon 
and other impurities. 



444 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

138. What causes the blood to circulate m the veins? 

The action of the heart, which is like a pump. When 
the arterial blood is forced out, it leaves a vacuum for the 
venous blood to flow in. The pressure of the muscles on 
the veins by contraction has a share in it, also, and perhaps 
a power from behind, or capillary force, in the capillaries. 

139. How much blood is there in a man of average size? 
It is estimated to be twenty-eight pounds. 

140. In what time does it circulate through the system? 
The left ventricle of the heart, in a man of average size, 

will contain about two ounces. Every time the heart beats 
this cavity is filled and emptied. In ordinary health the 
heart will beat about seventy-two times a minute; there- 
fore, in three minutes, an amount of blood equal to the 
whole will pass through the heart or the system. 

141. What circumstances will affect the rate of circulation\ 

The heart will beat faster when we are standing than 
when we are sitting, and faster when sitting than when 
Ijdng down. The pulsation is more rapid in the morning 
than in the evening. All exercise increases the force of 
circulation. 

142. How do mental states affect the circulation? 

When the mind is excited with anger, hope, merriment 
or love, the blood flows more freely, and a person is capable 
of greater exertions. The depressing passions have the 
opposite effect. 

143. Where is the living flesh made? 
In the capillaries. 

144. What materials of the body are obtained from the 
blood? 

All the tissues — the bone, muscle, brain, skin, fat, hair and 
nails, the tears, the saliva, and the perspiration. 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 445 

145. For what purpose is the circulation of the blood! 

To carry nutrition to the body and absorb the dead 
particles of the flesh. 

146. What do the elements of the blood contain? 

The elements of animal blood contain red and white 
corpuscles; animal fibrine; water; albumen. The first two 
form the clot, the remaining two the serum. The blood 
contains dissolved within it three gases: carbonic acid, 
oxygen, and a small quantity of nitrogen. 

147. Give the use of the corpuscles of the blood. 

The red corpuscles are supposed to convey oxygen from 
the lungs to the tissues, while the white are the agents 
which repair the body. This is shown in the healing of a 
large wound, as the white are then most abundant. 

148. What law must be observed in regard to eating if 
health is preserved? 

When exercise is light, eat but little, and at no time eat 
to excess. 

149. How are the wasted particles of the body disposed of 1 
They are thrown out of the system by the lungs, skin, 

kidneys, liver and intestines. 

150. What elements are selected by the nutritive organs to 
form fat? 

Seventy-nine parts of carbon, 11^ parts of hydrogen, and 
9^ parts of oxygen. 

151. What elements are required to form hair 1 

Fifty parts of carbon, 6 of hydrogen, 1 7 of nitrogen, and 
n6 of oxygen and sulphur. 

152. What to form muscle? 

Fifty-one parts of carbon, 7 of hydrogen, 1 5 of nitrogen, 
3 1 of oxygen, and 4 of other matters. 



446 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

153. Describe the lungs. 

The lungs are placed, one in each of the lateral cavities 
of the chest, separated from each other by the heart; they 
are conical in shape. The right lung is larger than the 
other, and has three lobes; the left lung has two. The 
weight of both lungs is about forty-two ounces; the color, 
in young persons, is a pinkish white, but it becomes mot- 
tled with dark spots as age advances. The substance of 
the lungs is of light, spongy texture. Passing through it 
in every direction from the trachea are a great number 
of bronchial tubes, which grow smaller as they subdivide. 
Each tube ends in a minute vesicle or air-cell. 

154. Describe the air-cells. 

The air tubes begin at the back part of the mouth and 
nostrils with a single cylinder, which leads through the 
neck to the chest; but in the lungs they are divided and 
subdivided into smaller and smaller tubes, and at the 
minute termination of these tubes are found the air-cells. 
These cells are separated from the myriads of minute 
arteries only by a membrane, so thin that gases can pass 
through it, and the blood itself is almost in contact with 
the air, thus becoming purified and in condition to nourish 
the system. 

155. How is voice produced 1 

The larynx is the organ of voice, and is the upper part 
of the trachea, where small cords, called vocal cords, 
stretch across it. Voice is produced by the air rushing 
over the vocal cords. 

156. Compare the lungs and hearty giving three points in 
common and three poi?its of difference. 

The three points in common are: both operate by expan- 
sion and contraction; both are involuntary organs — that 
is, on ordinary occasions they act independently of the will, 
both are indispensable to the maintenance of life. The 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 447 

three points of difference are: the lungs contain air, the 
heart blood; the lungs contain air-cells, the heart is 
divided into compartments; the lungs purify the blood, the 
heart propels it through the body. 

157. Describe the spine. 

The spinal column is composed of twenty-four vertebrse, 
the sacrum and the coccyx, and is a little more than two 
feet in length. The vertebrae are separated from one 
another by a thick piece of elastic cartilage, which saves 
the body from jars. Twelve of the vertebrae in the tho- 
racic region support the twelve ribs on each side. 

158. Describe a vertebra. 

It is somewhat circular and flattened on the sides with 
tooth-like projections which match one with another. 
Each vertebra has a spinous process extending backward. 
Through the centre of each vertebra the spinal cord passes. 

159. How are the bones of the spinal column divided? 

Into seven cervical or neck bones; twelve dorsal or back 
bones; and five lumbar or loin bones. 

1 60. What is the pelvis ? 

It is a bony cavity at the lower part of the spine, com- 
posed of the sacrum, the coccyx, and the two innominates 
or hip-bones. 

161. What is the sternum? 

A flat, sword-shaped bone, consisting of three pieces, 
which forms the front part of the thorax, and supports the 
ribs by means of its cartilages. 

162. What is the coccyx? 

A small bone at the lower extremity of the sacrum. 

163. Describe the ribs. 

The ribs are curved, and join the spine behind and the 
sternum in front. The lower five are called false ribs, 



448 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

because their connection with the sternum is not so close 
as that of the others. 

1 64. What bones compose the skuWi 

The skull consists of the cranium and the face; the cra- 
nium is composed of eight bones, the face of fourteen. 

165. What are the bones of the arm and forearmi 

The humerus is the bone of the arm, and the radius and 
ulna are the bones of the forearm. 

166. What are the bones of the ivrisfi 
Eight small bones, arranged in two layers. 

167. What are the bones of the hands'^ 

Five metacarpal bones and fourteen phalanges. 

168. Name the bones of the lower extremities. 

In the thigh, the femur; in the leg, the tibia and fibula; 
in the ankle, seven small bones ; in the foot, five metacar- 
pal bones and fourteen phalanges; at the knee, the patella 
or knee-pan. 

169. How many kinds of joints are there? 

Four: the hinge joint, as in the elbow; the ball and 
socket joint, as in the shoulder and thigh; a combination 
of the hinge joint with a rotary movement, as in the neck; 
and a joint with a sliding movement, as between the clavi- 
cle and sternum. 

170. How are the joints held together? 
By ligaments. 

171. What is the clavicle ? 

It is the collar bone, extending between the sternum 
and shoulders. 

172. Where is the scapula? 

The scapula, or shoulder-blade, is a broad, flat, triangu 
lar bone which forms part of the shoulder joint. 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 449 

173. What peculiarity is there about the neck-joints 2 
Between the head and the first vertebra is a hinge joint, 

and between the first and second vertebrae is a joint with 
a rotary movement, formed by a tooth-like projection from 
the second vertebra, which serves as an axis for the first to 
play upon. The two joints combined give the various 
movements to the head. 

174. How is the femur joined to the pelvis 7 
By a ball and socket joint. 

175. What peculiarity is there about the elbow and wrist 
joints 1 

A rotary movement is given to the hand by the rotation 
of the radius in a fibrous socket at the elbow, and a corre- 
sponding movement at the wrist between the ulna and the 
hand. 

176. Describe the hip joint. 

The femur, or thigh bone, has almost a globular head at 
its upper extremity, which is fitted into a very deep socket 
called the acetabulum, in the side bone of the pelvis. 

177. Describe the shoulder joint. 

The head of the bone of the upper arm is less than half 
a ball, and is fitted into a very shallow socket in the upper 
corner of the scapula or shoulder-blade. 

178. How many bones are in the human body? 

Two hundred and four, besides the patellae, or knee-caps. 

179. What three uses have the bones? 

To protect the delicate organs; to serve as levers on 
which the muscles may act to produce motion ; to preserve 
the shape of the body. 

180. Of what is a bone made? 

Of two-thirds earthy and one-third animal matter, The 



45° COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

earthy matter is principally carbonate and phosphate 
of lime. 

1 8 1. What is the structure of a bofie? 

A dense, hard tissue, like ivory, forms the outside shell, 
and a porous or cancellated tissue is always found on the 
inside. 

182. What are the rickets ? 

A disease caused by lack of mineral matter in the bones, 
which become soft and under the weight of the body are 
distorted. 

183. What is a felon ? 

A felon is a swelling of the finger or thumb, generally of 
the last joint. It is caused by an accumulation of matter 
beneath the periosteum and next to the bone. 

184. What is the cause of bow-legs 'i 

Bowlegs in children are caused by their standing on 
their feet before the bones of the lower limbs are strong 
enough to bear their weight. 

185. What is a dislocation! 

The forcing of a joint from its socket. This is done by 
breaking or straining the tissues of the joint. 

186. Describe the three lever-actions of the body. 

The movements of the head; raising the body on tiptoe; 
lifting the hands from the elbow. 

187. In what state do bones exist at first? 
As cartilage. 

188. Ifow are they converted into bone? 

By nature's deposit of phosphates and carbonate of lime. 

i8g. What is the strength of the human bonel 

When used as levers they are 22 times as strong as 

sandstone, 3J times as strong as lead, or twice as strong as 

oak timber. 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 451 

190. Define ossification. 

The growth of bone from the cartilage. 

191. What is the only bone in the body completely hard at 
birth ? 

The petrous, which contains the organs of hearing. 

192. What are the chief uses of cartilage! 

To give smooth surfaces to the joints, reducing friction 
and serving as a cushion in shocks; to fasten bones to- 
gether without destroying freedom of movement, as it acts 
between vertebrae; to serve as a firm yet not unyielding 
framework, as in the larynx and trachea; and to adapt itself 
to all purposes where firmness, toughness, elasticity and 
strength are required. 

193. What is the membrane called which invests the 
bones 7 

The periosteum. It is a firm, whitish-yellow in color, 
and encloses the vessels which convey nutriment into the 
bones. It is this membrane to which the ligaments and 
tendons are attached, as they cannot be fastened to the 
bone itself. 

194. Into how many groups are the bones of the body 
divided! 

For convenience of study, into four: the bones of the 
head, of the trunk, of the upper extremities and of the 
lower extremities. 

195. Where are the synovial membranes situated! 
In joints. 

196. What is the function of a synovial membranei 
To secrete a liquid which lubricates the joint. 

197. When is a joint said to be sprained! 

When a ligament, or some fibres of a ligament are 
badly stretched or torn. 



452 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

ig8. What are the muscles 1 

The active organs of locomotion. They are formed of 
bundles of reddish fibres endowed with the property of 
contractility. 

199. How many kifids of muscles are there? 

Two: those under control of the will, called the muscles 
of animal life; and those over which the will has no 
control, called muscles of organic life. 

200. What is the use of muscles? 

To produce all the motions of the body. 

201. How many muscles are there? 
About 527; the number varies. 

202. How are the muscles under the control of the will? 
Through the nervous system. Every muscle of animal 

life is supplied with nerves through which the mind exer- 
cises its influence. 

203. What is St. Vitus'' s dance? 

A disease of the voluntary muscles, causing spasmodic 
motions. 

204. What is lock-jaw? 

A disease in which there are spasms and a contraction 
of the muscles, usually beginning in the lower jaw. It is 
sometimes caused by a very trivial injury, as cutting the 
foot, running a fish-hook into the finger, a bruise or the 
like. 

205. Is the heart a muscle? 
It is a muscle of organic life. 

206. How do we breathe? 

Principally by means of the diaphragm, which by con- 
tracting produces a vacuum in the lungs, and air rushes in 
to fill the space. 



PHYSIO LOG-Y, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 453 

207. Describe the diaphragm. 

It is a flat muscle, a flexible partition which divides the 
chest from the abdomen and separates the respiratory 
from the digestive organs. Its edges are attached to the 
back-bone, to the lower edge of the low^er ribs, to the breast- 
bone, and to the lower part of the chest. It forms an arch, 
upon the upper surface of which the lungs rest, while in the 
hollow below lie the liver and stomach. When the 
diaphragm is at rest its upper point reaches as high as the 
fourth rib; but when it is in action it is drawn down to 
below the seventh rib. 

208. Explain the process of inspiration. 

The muscles on the sides of the chest raise the ribs and 
extend their circle forward and outward; the diaphragm 
draws down its arch and thus enlarges the chest; and, the 
lungs having room for expansion, the air is pressed into 
them to fill the vacuum left by the enlarging chest. 

2og. Explain the process of expiration. 

After the chest is thus sufficiently expanded, the muscles 
of the ribs and the diaphragm relax. The action of other 
muscles carries the ribs downward ; at the same time, the 
muscles which cosrer the abdomen press upon its contents, 
and force them against the diaphragm ; this yielding to the 
pressure, rises and presses upon the lungs, which retreat 
before it, and the air is expelled. 

210. What is the cause of squinting^ 

Most cases of squinting; are caused by long-sightedness, 
the muscles being strained in the effort to obtain distinct 
vision. 

211. What is coughing^ 

A spasmodic action of the muscles of expiration forcing 
the air out violently through the mouth. 



454 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

212. What is sneezing? 

It is the same action as coughing, only the mouth is 
closed, and the air rushes through the nose. 

213. What are sighing and snoring! 

Sighing is a prolonged inspiration, followed by an 
audible expiration. Snoring is caused by the air passing 
through both nose and mouth, the palate in the meantime 
producing a vibration of the air. 

214. What are laughing and sobbing? 

Laughing and sobbing are much alike as regards the 
action of the muscles. The sounds are produced by short, 
rapid contractions of the diaphragm. 

215. What are yawning and hiccoughing? 

Yawning, or gaping, is like sighing, only the mouth is 
open wide to take in the deep inspiration. Hiccoughing is 
caused by a contraction of the diaphragm and a constric- 
tion of the glottis. 

216. What is the effect of breathing the same air several 
times? 

It poisons the system, the expired air being loaded with 
waste matter and carbonic acid. 

217. In how many ways is the air unfit for respiration? 

Three: by being deprived of oxygen; by being loaded 
with carbonic acid; by being filled with waste matter from 
the lungs, skin, etc., or other poisonous materials. 

218. How much fresh air ought to be supplied to each 
person per minute ? 

About four cubic feet. 

2ig. How much air ivill the lungs hold? 

About 384 cubic inches. 



PHYSIOL OG V, ANA TO MY AND HYGIENE. 455 

220. What effect has an il '(-ventilated school-room upon 
children ? 

They grow dull and sleepy from the action of the 
poisonous matter in the air, 

221. How should we ventilate our bed-rooms and school- 
houses ? 

The windows should be opened in such a manner as to 
admit fresh air without its blowing directly upon the 
sleeper or student. This is usually accomplished best by 
lowering the top sash and at the same time lowering the 
curtain, otherwise the obstrtiction would throw the, current 
downward. Ventilation through the ceiling is advisable, 
and can easily be arranged at time of building. 

222. What is the average number of respirations per 
minute 1 

Eighteen. 

223. What animals are most active and which are most 
sluggish 1 

Those which breathe the most are the most vigorous, 
lively, and active, while those which breathe least are the 
most sluggish, stupid and feeble. 

224 How does consumption waste the flesh and strength 7 
In this disease the lungs are more or less filled with 
tubercles and abscesses; the air-vessels are to some extent 
closed, so that the air cannot penetrate them and reach 
the blood to purify it; therefore, lacking pure blood, the 
system is not well nourished, the muscles grow thin and 
weak, and the body gradually wastes away. 

225. What are bronchitis, pleurisy and pneumonia ? 

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane 
of the bronchial tubes. This inflammation causes a secre- 
tion of mucus, and consequent coughing. Pleurisy is an 
inflammation of the pleura. Pneumonia is an inflamma? 
tion of the lungs, affecting chiefly the air-cells. 



456 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

226. How may a constitutional tendency to consumption 
be warded off in youth 1 

By plenty of pure air, exercise, and a careful diet. Rich 
pastry, unripe fruit, salted meat and acid drinks should be 
avoided. A certain quantity of fat should be eaten at 
each meal. 

227. What is the 7'ule for prevention and cure of a cold? 
Keep the blood upon the surface. 

228. What is the first step to be taken in the cure of a 
disease? 

To obey the laws of health which have been violated. 
Medicine is not taken to destroy a disease, but to hold it in 
check while nature repairs the injury, and again brings the 
system into harmonious movement. 

229. Why does sleep someiijnes fail to refresh? 
For want of sufficient air. 

230. What is carbonic acid? 

A gas known by many as "damps" or "dead air;" it is 
often found in wells and vats. It is heavier than air, and, 
therefore, falls like water to the bottom of a vessel or 
room. 

231. What is a common source of danger from carbonic 
acid? 

A pan of coals is sometimes left burning in an ill- 
ventilated sleeping-room. The gas sinks, but as more is 
produced it keeps filling more and more space till it gets 
up to the sleeper's head, is inhaled, and suffocation is the 
result. 

232. How does drowning produce death? 

The water taken into the mouth, nose and ears prevents 
the access of air to the respiratory organs, and the sufferer 
dies of suffocation. 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 457 

233. What necessity is common to all animals 1 

Good air, though in different degrees. Every animal, 
from the highest to the lowest, must sustain life by its 
breath. 

234. What reciprocal offices do animals and vegetables 
perform "i 

The animal uses oxygen and gives out carbonic acid; 
while, on the other hand, the plant uses carbonic acid and 
gives out oxygen. 

235. What is the temperature of the human body? 
98° to 100° F. 

236. What is the origin of heat in living bodies! 

The union of the carbon of the food and the oxygen of 
the air. This produces heat in much the same way that 
heat is produced by sensible combustion. 

237. Into what classes are animals divided in relation to 
heati 

Into the warm-blooded, including man, birds, quad- 
rupeds, etc., whose heat is always of the same degree; 
and the cold-blooded, including snakes, oysters, fishes, 
worms, toads, turtles, etc., the heat of which is but little 
higher than that of the medium wherein they live. 

238. What prevents any considerable increase of temper^ 
ature in the healthy body? 

Perspiration. 

239. What is insensible perspiration? 

The moisture which is absorbed by the air as fast as 
formed. 

240. What is sensible perspiration? 

The moisture which is exuded too fast to be immediately 
absorbed, and is left in small drops on the skin. 



458 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

241. Which best protects from cold, alchohol or foodl 
Food. Alcohol stimulates the stomach and excites the 

nervous system. It supplies carbon and hydrogen to the 
flame ; but these soon burn out, and the body is afterward 
cooler than it otherwise would have been. Food alone 
can sustain a permanent heat. 

242. Which warms most, flesh or bread! 

Flesh, since it contains more carbon and hydrogen. 

243. Why is more fat required for food in a cold climate 
than in a zvarm one? 

Because it supplies more carbon, and gives more heat. 

244. Of what use is fat to the body? 

It gives form to the body, and acts as a powerful non- 
conductor of heat. It collects around the joints and be- 
tween the muscles and prevents irritation by friction. 

245. What is noticeable of fat? 

It does not accumulate within the cranium, the luiigs, or 
the eye-lids. 

246. What are the oil glands? 

Clusters of tiny sacs, secreting an oil which flows along 
the ducts to the roots of the hair, and thence oozes out 
upon the cuticle. 

247. Describe the skin. 

It is composed of two layers — the derma, or true skin, 
and the epidermis, or cuticle. On the surface of the 
derma are the sensitive papillae, and within or beneath it 
are the sweat glands, hair-follicles and sebaceous glands. 
It is a dense and thick membrane, composed of firm and 
strong fibres, and is almost filled with minute blood' 
vessels. 

248. Name the three uses of the skin. 

The skin is used to protect, to exhale, and to absorb. 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE, 459 

249. What is the cuticle 1 

The cuticle, or scarf-skin, is a thin layer for the purpose 
of protecting the derma. 

250. What part of the blood flows through th^ skin? 
A large proportion. 

251. JD escribe the hair. 

It is an outgrowth from the skin. It has a root which 
is bulbous, and a shaft which is hollow. The hollow 
ceases near the point. 

252. Describe the nails. 

They also are outgrowths from the skin. They are 
flattened, elastic structures of a horny nature, and are 
firmly connected with the cutis. 

253. Where is the seat of color in the skin? 

In the pigment cells, or the rete mucosum, which are 
situated in the innermost and last-formed layer of the 
cuticle. The contents of these cells give the different 
shades to the various races of mankind. 

254. What proportion of the waste of the body passes 
through the skin ? 

About five-eighths. 

255. What connection exists between the internal organs 
and the skin ? 

A most intimate connection. As the blood finds its 
way freely through it, it serves to relieve internal organs 
when the circulation is disturbed. 

256. What is the office of the skin? 

It protects the body, regulating its heat by means of 
the sweat follicles, and throwing out much waste matter. 

257. Name the organs which carry off waste matter from 
the body. 

The skin, lungs, kidneys, liver and intestines. 



460 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

258. Name the organs which bring fresh material to tht 
body. 

The stomach and intestines particularly; sometimes the 
skin. The lungs bring oxygen. 

259. Describe the minute structure of the perspiratory 
organs. 

The perspired fluid is formed by the inner skin and con- 
veyed to the surface through minute tubes which are 
attached to the glands. There are 3,528 of these little 
tubes on each square inch in the palm of the hand, and 
2,800 on each square inch throughout the whole body, 
making seven millions of perspiratory tubes on a man of 
average size. 

260. Of what does the nervous system consists 
The brain, spinal cord and nerves. 

261. Describe the general outline of the brain. 

It is divided into two principal parts, the cerebrum and 
cerebellum. The first is divided by a deep fissure into two 
lateral halves, called hemispheres. The under part of the 
cerebellum is divided in the same way. The cerebrum is 
much the larger part of the brain, and occupies the anterior 
part of the skull. Its surface is indented with many con- 
volutions. The outer part, of a gray color, is called the 
cortical substance. The inner part, of a light color, is 
called the medullary substance. The cerebrum is separated 
from the cerebellum by a strong fibrous tissue. 

262. How is the brain protected 1 

By three membranes which cover it. The inner and 
middle membranes are very delicate, and give the brain a 
soft cushion to lie between it and its bony enclosure. The 
outer membrane is thick and very strong, and would 
hold the brain in its position, even if the skull were 
removed. 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 461 

263. What peculiarity has the brain in regard to the sense 
0/ fee ling? 

It has no feeling of its own, although capable of recog- 
nizing the sensations of all other parts of the body. 

264. Describe the sense of feeling. 

The nerves of sensation are spread over the whole body. 
Feeling is most delicate in the point of the tongue and the 
tips of the fingers. The surface of the skin is covered with 
minute conical projections called papillae. Each of these 
contains its tiny nerve, which receives the impression 
and conveys it to the brain, where perception is pro- 
duced. 

265. Describe the sense of taste. 

The sense of taste is located in the papillae of the tongue 
or palate. The papillae start up when tasting, as you can 
see by placing a drop of vinegar on another person's 
tongue, or on your own before a mirror. These small, 
hair-like projections absorb the liquid to be tasted and 
convey it to the nerves. 

266. Describe the organ of smell. 

The nose, the seat of this sense, is composed of cartilage 
covered with muscles and skin, and connected with the 
skull by small bones. The nostrils open at the back into 
the pharynx, and are lined by a continuation of the mucous 
membrane of the throat. The olfactory nerves enter 
through a sieve-like, bony plate at the roof of the nose, 
and are distributed over the inner surface of the two olfac- 
tory chambers. 

267. What large nervous trunks have their origin ifi the 
irain ? 

The olfactory, optic, facial, auditory, pneumogastric and 
other nerves, nine in all. Some authors divide the seventh 
and eighth pair, and make three more nerves. 



462 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

268. Where is the spinal cordi 

It extends from the brain through the whole length of 
the spinal column. It gives off thirty pairs cf nerves, 
which divide and subdivide until they reach every part of 
the body. 

269. How many kinds ef nerves are therel 
Two: motor and sensory. 

270. What three things are ?iecessary for sensation f 

The nerves upon which the impression is made, the 
trunk which conveys the impression, and the brain which 
receives and perceives it. 

271. Is the action of the different organs modified by the 
nerves'^ 

Yes. The amount of blood they receive is regulated by 
the nerves. 

272. Do the arteries have nerves 1 
They do. 

273. If the nerve which governs the action of the heart 
should be severed, what would the heart do ? 

It would cease beating. 

274. When will motion be lost and feeling remain? 
When the motory nerve is severed. 

275. When will feeling be lost and motion remain! 
When the sensory nerve leading to any part is severed. 

276. What is reflex action ? 

A sudden action occurring without thought or medita- 
tion, as we start at a sound, jump from sudden danger, or 
Armk at a flash of light or threatened blow. 

277. What are day-dreams ? 

Beautiful imaginings v/hence all disagreeable things are 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE, 463 

excluded; delightful reveries, more commonly known as 
"building air-castles." 

278. Describe the eye. 

It is the organ of sight, set in a deep, bony socket, con- 
taining two humors — the aqueous, a transparent fluid in 
the anterior part, and the vitreous, transparent and jelly- 
like, situated in the posterior portion, and forming the 
greater part of the eye. Between these two humors is the 
crystalline lens, a double convex lens. 

279. What is the sclerotic coat? 

A dense, fibrous coat, covering the whole eye except in 
front, in which the cornea is placed, a transparent and 
strong tissue. 

280. What is the choroid coat 7 

The middle coat, containing a black pigment which 
absorbs such rays of light as are not needed for vision. 

281. Where is the retinal 

A delicate nervous membrane, lining the inner surface 
of the choroid coat. The images of external objects are 
received upon it. Behind, it is continuous with the optic 
nerve. 

282. What is the iris? 

It is a thin, circular-shaped curtain suspended behind 
the cornea, in the aqueous humor, and connected at its 
circumference with the choroid coat. A small opening in its 
centre, which admits the rays of light, is called the pupil. 

283. Describe the lids. 

They are composed of cartilages adapted to the shape of 
the eye, the skin without, and the lining membrane within. 
One circular muscle surrounds the open part of the eye, 
and closes the lids when it contracts. Another muscle, 
attached to the upper eyelid by one end, and to the bone 
of the socket by the other, opens the eye. 



464 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

! 

284. Where is the fluid prepared which moistens the eyes i 
In the lining membrane of the lids. 

285. What are the lachrymal glands and the nasal duct? 

The lachrymal glands secrete the tears, and are in the 
upper and outer part of the orbit. The tears clean the eye 
of any particles of foreign matter, and, upon reaching the 
inner corner of the eye, pass through the lachrymal caaal 
and nasal duct into the nose. The nasal duct is a mem- 
branous canal, about three-quarters of an inch in length, 
extending from the inner corner of the eye into the nose. 

286. What moves the eye? 

The eye is rolled by a set of muscles peculiar to itself. 
They are attached by one end to the bony socket, and by 
the other to the eyeball. By their contractions they roll 
the eye in every direction ; and by their codperation both 
eyes are directed to a single object. 

287. Describe the optic nerve. 

It passes from the base of the brain forward through the 
socket and into the eyeball. After passing the outer and 
middle coats, it is spread upon their inner surface and forms 
the retina, which receives the rays of light. 

288. How is vision produced? 

The light is reflected from objects, and passes through 
the transparent cornea and the pupil into the ball. The 
humors and the lens refract it, and give the rays such a 
direction that they fall upon the retina, where they form 
the image of the object. This impression is carried along 
the optic nerve to the brain, and there perception occurs 
and the object is seen. 

289. What care should be taken in regard to the direction 
of the light when one is at work? 

C!»re should be taken that the light should not fall so that 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 465 

it is reflected directly into our face; if possible it should 
come from behind, 

290. How does the eye change as one grows old? 

The lens loses its convexity in some degree, and the rays 
of light are not concentrated at short distances upon the 
retina; the person becomes far-sighted. 

291. What is the difference between a short-sighted man 
and one who is long-sightedi 

In one who is near-sighted the lenses are too convex; 
in one who is long-sighted the lenses are not convex enough. 

292. Why are some persons cross-eyed 1 

Because the muscles which govern the movement of the 
eyeball do not act in harmony: one muscle is more powerful 
than another, and draws the eye to one side. 

293. What does the organ of hearing include? 

The external ear, the internal ear, and the passage 
between them. 

294. Describe the external ear. 

It is composed principally of stiff cartilage ; and its shape 
is that which is best adapted to catch sounds and transmit 
them to the internal ear. The canal leading inward is 
about an inch in length, and is covered with hair and wax 
to protect it from insects. A thin membrane, the covering 
of the drum of the ear, is stretched across the canal, and 
separates it from the internal ear. 

295. Describe the internal ear. 

It consists of a cavity filled with air behind the mem- 
brane of the drum, and three small bones which reach from 
the membrane to the labyrinth, where the auditory nerve 
is spread out in many filaments to receive impressions of 
sound. 



466 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

296. What is the eustachian tube? 

A canal passing from the internal ear to the back part of 
the mouth, and serving as a vent to the air in the drum of 
the ear. 

297. How is sound produced? 

The pulsations of air pass along the external canal and 
cause the membrane of the drum to vibrate, which transmits 
the vibrations by the air and three small bones to the laby- 
rinth, where, in some unexplained manner, the filaments of 
the auditory nerve receive the impression; this is conveyed 
to the brain, and we hear. 

297^:. Into what two classes are diseases divided? 
Into infectious and non-infectious. 

297^. How are infectious diseases caused? 
By tiny plants or tiny animals, called parasites, which live 
upon or within the human body. 

297c. What diseases are started by the parasites, or germs, 
entering the body? 

Tuberculosis, smallpox, scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhoid 
fever, etc. 

297<i. What diseases are started by parasites, or germs, on 
the outside of the body? 

Lupus, itch, tetter, eczema, etc. 

297^. What is meant by the incubation period? 
The time elapsing from the period when the germ enters 
the system until the disease manifests itself. 

297/. What is the incubation period for the following dis- 
eases? 

Diphtheria, 1-6 days; tuberculosis, 20-10,000 days; 
typhoid fever, 8-20 days; leprosy and pneumonia, time not 
known; grippe, 1-5 days; cholera, i-io days; bubonic 



PHYSIOLOGY, ANATOMY AND HYGIENE. 467 

plague, 3-12 days; scarlet fever, 1-7 days; smallpox, 8-16 
days; measles, 8-16 days; mumps, 14-21 days; chicken-pox, 
12-16 days; whooping-cough, 8-16 days. 

297^. How has Nature provided herself so as to be able 
to kill off these germs as they enter the bodyf 

In a healthy person the nasal mucus, the gastric juice, and 
the other secretions kill innumerable germs or parasites con- 
tinually; there is also in the body another agent, called 
opsoniusj which so affects the germs or bacteria that the white 
corpuscles are able to absorb or neutralize them. 

297A. Why is a healthy person, and one not addicted to 
bad habits, not so liable to contract disease? 

Because in a healthy person of good habits, the gastric 
juice, the opsonius, etc., are in full vigor and capable of kill- 
ing germs as fast as they come; but in a person who is weak 
or dissipated or debilitated the germs are not all killed but 
multiply and spread rapidly. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO 

AND THEIR EFFECTS UPON THE HUMAN SYSTEM. 



1. How and by whom was alcohol discovered! 

It is said that Paracelsus, a chemist of the fourteenth 
century, accidentally discovered alcohol, and upon, testing 
its power boasted of having found the essence of life, the 
power to cure the weak, and the great benefactor of man- 
kind. 

2. What is alcohoU 

A liquid obtained from the fermentation and distillation 
of fruits and grains. 

3. What must be the condition of fruits or grains to produce 
alcohol? 

They must pass into a stage of decomposition or rot. 
This occurs only where sugar or starch is one of the 
ingredients. 

4. What are the chemical properties of alcohol! 

It will not freeze; it burns without smoke; it readily 
dissolves gums and oils and forms various mixtures; it is 
used in preserving meats, in perfumery, in thermometers, 
in varnishes, in spirit lamps., in medicines, and in the 
practice of various arts. 

469 



470 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

5. How does alcohol preserve meats, insects or animals? 
It absorbs the water in them and prevents decay. 

6. What are the beverages most largely composed oj 
alcohol! 

Whiskey, brandy, rum and gin. These are the principal 
forms of distillations, although scores of mixtures are 
formed. 

7. What are some of the beverages not so largely composed 
of this fluid 1 

Wine, beer, ale and cider. 

8. What is the difference between alcohol and whiskey t 

Alcohol is the pure spirit, too strong for human drink, 
while whiskey is alcohol doctored to meet the taste. 

9. What is intoxication ? 

Drunkenness, paralysis of the brain, a condition of 
mental stupor. 

10. What is the difference between food and alcohoU 

Food nourishes and sustains the body; alcohol excites 
the nervous system, clouds the intellect, poisons the blood 
and injures the body. 

11. What is the difference between fermentation and 
distillation ? 

Fermentation is a simple process of nature in the juices 
of fruits and grains. Distillation is the process of taking 
out the alcohol found in fermentation. 

1 2. What is a still, and how does it work? 

A boiler in which a liquid containing alcohol is placed. 
The alcohol rises in a vapor, which is carried by a tube 
through a cask of cold water and condensed, passing out 
of the tube in a liquid form stronger than the one boiled 



ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO. 471 

13. What is the worm of the still? What is the worm-' 
tub? 

The worm is the tube before mentioned which, in pass- 
ing through the cold water, is coiled spirally, like a worm, 
in order to have a greater surface for cooling. The worm- 
tub is the cask holding the tube or worm. 

14. What are malt liquors 7 

Those manufactured from malt and hops; they are beer, 
ale and porter. 

15. How is malt made! 

By placing a quantity of wet barley in a warm room and 
allowing it to sprout, after which it is dried in a furnace 
and ground. 

16. What parts of the body are affected by the use of 
alcohol? 

The stomach, the heart, the liver, the lungs, the muscles, 
the blood, the brain, the skin, the bones — in fact, every 
part of the body. 

1 7. Give the circulation of alcohol in the body. 

After being taken into the ^tomach the organs reject it 
as of no use in nourishment, and it is absorbed by the 
veins and carried to the liver, which in turn forces it on to 
the heart; thence it is driven to the lungs, and by the 
action of the atmosphere a large proportion is drawn off 
with the breath and the body is relieved from the poison 
which it could not use, but a part of this fiery fluid which 
does not escape is carried by the blood to the brain, where 
it produces excitement, madness and stupefaction. 

18. Is there any nourishment in alcohol? 

None whatever. Its immediate effect is to quicken 
pulsation and arouse the vital forces of the body. 



472 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

19. How does this fluid assist in restoring the low pulsa- 
tion of an invalid! 

It quickens immediately the vital forces, and by the use 
of medicines or nourishments the system is sustained, 
otherwise the excitement would die out and the system 
would fall to a lower standard than before taking the 
stimulation. 

20. What does alcohol do to the stomachl 

It prevents the proper action of the gastric juice on the 
food taken for nourishment, 

21. What experiment will prove this assertion! 

Take some of the juice from the stomach of a calf which 
has just been killed, and mix alcohol with it, and you will 
notice a chemical action upon the pepsin, which prevents 
its work upon the food. In other words, the food is pre- 
served until the stomach can throw it off and begin diges- 
tion. 

22. How is this proved by actual experience in man! 
Some men were paid their week's wages just after dinner 

on Saturday. They got drunk and remained so until the 
next day at noon. On coming back to consciousness they 
were very sick, and an emetic was given to them which 
brought up their Saturday's dinner just as it had gone into 
their stomachs. The food had been preserved by the 
alcohol, and relief could come only by vomiting. 

23. Why do some people take a glass of liquor before 
eating! 

Simply to gratify their taste. The plea of improving 
the appetite is only an excuse to cover up a practice in 
which they wish to indulge. 

24. What disease is liable to attack the person who eon 
tinues dri7iking alcoholic beverages ! 

Dyspepsia. 



ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO. 473 

25. What effect do contagious diseases have upon habitual 
drinkers, and why? 

The mortality is especially great in cases of cholera and 
yellow fever. The reason is that the body is not in con- 
dition to battle with disease. The stomach, kidneys, liver, 
and lungs are weak, the blood is poisoned and the reagent 
force of the constitution wrecked. 

26. What causes the redness of the nose and skin? 

The skin is called into greater action to throw off a part 
of the alcohol taken into the system. The pores and 
blood-vessels of the skin become larger in this exertion, 
and the quantity of blood gives the color. 

27. What does alcohol do to the heart? 

It overworks it, makes it tired, loads it with fat and 
weakens the power of action. 

28. What does it do to the blood-vessels? 

It stimulates the circulation, hurries the blood in its 
course, stretches the small arteries and makes them unfit 
for work, 

29. How does it act upon the lungs? 

It causes them to work too fast, heats and inflames 
them, hardens the walls of the air-cells, and prevents the 
air from purifying the blood. 

30. How does it affect the brain? 

Parts of the nerves, spinal cord and brain are composed 
of a white substance called albumen; when alcohol comes 
into contact with this substance it absorbs the water and 
thickens the albumen, which action paralyzes these organs 
so that they lose their power of action, the limbs cannot 
carry the body, and the brain refuses to understand. 

31. . Why does a drunken man have imperfect vision? 
The nerves of the eye are strained by the excitement and 

stupor, and do not report to the brain a correct vision. 



474 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOS:. 

32. How does alcohol injure the liver 'i 

By hardening and preventing its action in removing the 
waste matter which should be carried off. 

33. How does it affect the kidneys ? 

They become fatty and waxlike, and this condition leads 
£0 dropsy and other forms of degeneration. 

34. How does it injure the mind? 

Whatever injures the brain weakens the power of thought 
and destroys the intellect. 

35. How do we know that alcohol is a poison? 

If taken in sufficient quantities it almost immediately 
produces death. In such cases the animal has all the 
appearance of poisoning. Nature declares that it is a 
poison, although by habitual but moderate use the system 
becomes accustomed to its presence, holding in check the 
slow fire which is impairing the constitution, producing a 
poisoned blood, diseased kidneys, indigestion and the slow 
destruction of the mind, the brain, the heart and the 
nerves. 

36. Do habitual drinkers crave the taste of liquors? 

It is often the case that the first glass in the morning is 
hard to swallow; it is nauseating to the stomach, and can 
be endured only by bracing the physical powers. The 
drink is taken for the effect, no longer for the pleasure of 
the palate. There is a demand for something to arouse the 
sinking forces, to stimulate, to overcome the deadness of 
the heart and to produce a new excitement. 

37. Does alcohol protect from cold? 

It imparts warmth only by imagination. No new heat 
is infused into the system, but by quickened pulsation the 
blood is forced rapidly over the body, and whatever heat 
is imparted to the outer surface is at the general expense 
of the internal heat; and when the pulsation returns to its 



ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO, 475 

normal rate the body has lost more heat and has become 
weaker than it would have been if the excitement had not 
been given. 

38. What is the experience of sailors in cases of shipwreck 
and great exposure! 

Those who take liquor under these circumstances do not 
withstand the cold as well as those who refuse to drink. 

39. How could alcohol be used under such circumstances 
and become a benefit to those exposed? 

By turning it into their boots or against the parts liable 
to freeze. This would be a means of outward protection 
by which the internal forces would not be disturbed. 

40. Knowing the evil effects ofdrink^ why do people con' 
tinue to harbor its presence^ protect its sale and defend its 
influence 1 

This is a mystery which has still to be explained, but the 
fact remains that the influence of liquor is increasing, its 
effects are more dangerous, and its power more grasping. 
It is not, however, in as general private use in homes and 
residences as it was some generations ago. Again, wines 
and beer have taken the place of the more potent liquids. 

TOBACCO. 

41. When was tobacco discovered and when introduced to 
the people of civilization 'i 

It was discovered by Columbus in 1492, It was taken 
to Spain in 1496; to France in 1560; to England in 1586. 

42. What is the difference in effect between alcohol and 
tobacco ? 

One excites, while the other soothes the nerves and often 
produces sleep. 

43. What poiso7ious elements are foutid in tobacco smoke? 
Carbonic acid, carbonic oxide, ammonia and nicotine. 



476 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

44. What is the effect of carbonic acidl 
It causes sleepiness and headache. 

45. What is the effect of carbonic oxide? 

It causes trembling of the muscles and heart. 

46. What effect does ammotiia produce? 

It bites the tongue and makes too much work for the 
salivary glands. 

47. What is nicotine? 

It is a very poisonous element, strong in odor and bitter 
to the taste, and is the principal pain-soothing and sleep- 
producing element of tobacco. It is a narcotic. 

48. What effect does nicotine produce? 

It produces weakness, nervousness, dizziness, nausea, 
faintness, loss of strength, and stupor, and, if taken in 
large quantities, convulsions and death. 

49. Give some of the actions of tobacco on the human 
body. 

It taints the saliva; injures the sense of smell, taste, 
sight and hearing; causes "smokers' sore throat;" injures 
the stomach, causing dyspepsia, etc. ; often takes away 
the appetite for wholesome food; irritates the air-cells of 
the lungs; causes palpitation of the heart; weakens the 
muscles, causing trembling; injures the eyes and stupefies 
the brain and nerves. 

50. Give some account of its action on the mind. 

It makes the memory poor; lessens the power to think; 
weakens the will; makes people grow in selfishness and 
impoliteness; often leads to bad company; and some 
times causes insanity. 

51. What mode of using tobacco is most injurious? 

The habit of smoking cigarettes, because they contain 



ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO, 477 

an inordinate amount of nicotine, refuse matter and often 
opium or narcotic extracts. 

52. What is opium 7 

It is the juice obtained from the seed-vessel of the white 
poppy before it is ripe. When dried, it is somewhat dark 
in color and bitter to the taste. 

53. Is it dangerous to use? 

It is the most dangerous of drugs when used habitually, 
as few can resist its influence when once the system has 
become accustomed to it. Its first effects are pleasant and 
exhilarating, but it afterward produces a misery which can 
be relieved only by another potion; thus the habit becomes 
a cruel and unrelenting slavery. 

54. What are laudanum and morphine? 

They are products of opium, and should be used only 
under the orders of a physician. 

5 5. What is hashish ? 

A powerful narcotic, prepared from the hemp plant 
grown in hot countries. It is used extensively among the 
people of warm climates, and is a terribly exciting poison. 

56. What is the areca nut, and where is it found? 

It is the seed of a kind of palm, and resembles a nutmeg. 
It is mixed with quick-lime and wrapped in a betel-leaf, 
which grows on a vine belonging to the pepper family. 
The mixture reddens the saliva and lips and blackens the 
teeth. It is chewed by millions of people in India. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



DRAWING. 



1. What is the aim of drawing? 

The aim of drawing is to secure culture through the 
senses by which we apprehend the forms of things. 

2. What are the ends to be secured^ 

A sensitiveness to beauty, an intelligent appreciation of 
beautiful things, the power to make them beautiful, and to 
reveal beauty to others. 

3. How can such ends be secured? 

A course in drawing must be shaped upon the broadest 
lines ; beginning with the simple ideas and crude tastes of 
the child, it should develop his latent powers to the utmost. 

4. In early education which should precede^ the study of 
form or of color? Why? 

Color. The element of interest must be brought into 
this study, and it is believed that color is more interesting 
than form. Moreover, it is believed that children notice 
masses of color before they pay attention to form. 

5. Should the study begin with objects? If so, with what 
objects, natural or artificial? 

It should begin with natural objects. Plant forms are 
the best. 

479 



480 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

6. What apparatus is necessary in the study of color 'i 

A prism, pigments, colored paper, brush, colored cray 
ens, etc. 

7. What are the ends to be worked for in the first study 
of color 2 

The habit of observing color, refinement of the color sense, 
appreciation of harmonious coloring, intelligent appreciation 
of natural beauty and power to express it, appreciation of 
beauty in ornament and power to express it. 

8. As the study of color progresses^ what points should be 
introduced! 

The spectrum should be studied with the tints and 
shades of the seven standard colors, scales of tones, groups 
of analogous colors, analogous harmony, complementary 
colors, effects of juxtaposition, etc. 

J' 9. Upon what is form study based, and how applied'} 

Upon the study of geometrical solids and all that per- 
tains to them, surface, lines, etc. By studying forms ii 
nature and the arts similar to these type forms, 

I o. Considered with reference to perspective elements, what 
should be the first results of form study! 

A habit of imaging clearly the shapes of things, knowledge 
of space relations, appreciation of the phenomena of 
appearance, and power to express them correctly. 

II. Give illustration of pictorial drawing! 




DRAWING. 481 

1 2. What is the object of pictorial drawing in its early stages t 

The power to draw freely and effectively, and apprecia- 
tion of the elements of composition. 

13. Define free-hand drawing. 

It is drawing produced by the hand and guided by the 
eye without the use of any auxiliary instruments. 

14. State how a decorative drawing differs from a picture. 

It differs in that its purpose is to give pleasure by beau- 
tifying the object to which it is added, while the purpose of 
a picture is to give pleasure in itself. 

1 5. Mention points to be remembered in decorative design. 
Beauty is the ultimate aim in decorative design. Fitness 

to purpose is an underlying principle of decoration. That 
which is used for decoration should not be of more import- 
ance than the object decorated, and should not detract 
from the usefulness of the object. 

16. Define unit of desigti. 

A part repeated to form a design is called a unit of that 
design. 

1 7. What are the sources of materials for decorative design 1 
Geometrical figures and natural forms. 

18. Define conventionalization. 

Keeping the general characteristics of a natural form, 
omitting details and accidents of growth, is called conven- 
tionalization. 

19. What are the elementary principles of arrangement f of 
decorative purposes 1 

Symmetry, repetition, and alternation.' 

20. Give illustration of an-angement of natural unit in 
decorative design. 



482 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

21. In drawing from objects^ should mechanical directions 
be followed? 

It is better to sketch and critically compare with the 
object again and again rather than to follow detailed 
directions. 

22. Ifow much practice should there be in drawing 
geometric forms ? 

Practice should be given until the figures and their 
details can be drawn from memory. 

23. Illustrate the drawing of an object involving the oval. 




24. What is perspective drawing! 

Perspective drawing is the representation of an object 
presenting the same appearance as the object itself. 

25. Why does the appearance of an object differ from the 
reality! 

Because of its position and distance from the observer. 
Position affects the apparent form of an object and dis- 
tance the apparent size. 

26. State the principle of perspective. 

Lines parallel to the picture plane retain their direction 
in perspective. Lines not parallel to the picture plane 
appear to converge as they recede from the eye. All 
horizontal lines not parallel to the picture plane vanish at 
the level of the eye. 



DRAWING, 



483 



27. What is the vanishing point? 

The point toward which any set of parallel lines con- 
verges. 

28. What is fore-shortening? 

It is the representation of objects pointing more or less 
directly toward the spectator standing away from a plane 
perpendicular to the spectator's line of sight, but shown in 
such a manner as to convey to the mind the impression 
of their just length. 

2 9. Give illustration involving one set of retreating parallels. 




30. Upon what does unity in a group depend? 

Upon the relations between objects as to kind, size, posi- 
tion. Upon emphasis of principal object and subordina- 
tion of details. Upon concentration of interest by means 
of leading lines and action or movement. 

31. Upon what does the harmony of a group depend? 
Upon the balance of one mass with another or upon the 

relations of its principal lines. 

32. What is composition in drawing? 

It is the choice and arrangement of objects for the pur. 
pose of arranging them pictorially with special reference to 
beauty of effect. 

33. Give meaning of light and shade as applied in 
drawing? 

It is the result produced by representing in a drawing 



484 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

the effect of light, shade, and shadow. Light is usually- 
assumed to come from above and the left. In this case 
the shadows would be on the right side and the lower part 
also. 

34. What is a view ? 

It is a drawing showing the facts of form. 

35. Illustrate by a view in light and shade. 

J* 




36. Define constructive drawing. 

Constructive drawing is that branch of the subject which 
gives the facts of objects, and from which objects may be 
constructed. 

37. Give example of working and pictorial drawing and 
developed pattern of cylinder. 





2,^. What is a bilateral form 1 

It is one having an axis of symmetry, that is, one that 
may be divided into two parts that balance. 



DRAWING. 48: 

39. Illustrate bilateral form. 




40. Define style in drawing. 

Style means character. Every style depends upon what 
is peculiar to it, never on what it has in common with 
other styles. 

41. W nat are the leading styles of historic ornament? 

{Egyptian ( Byzantine 

Greek Mediaeval } Saracenic 

Roman ( Gothic 

Modern | Renaissance. 

42. Mention some of the characteristics of Greek style. 
Estheticism, artistic finish, simplicity, conventional- 
ization. 

43. What are the peculiarities of the Saracenic style? 
Rigid exclusion of symbolism, geometric symmetry and 

gorgeous color effects. 

44. What is meant by the Renaissance? 

It is the style that has prevailed during the last five 
centuries. It is a re-birth of classic styles and estheticism. 

45. What is necessary to an intelligent appreciation of the 
works of art? 

The study of the best pictures- 



486 



COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 



46. What is industrial drawing in its broadest sense? 

It includes mechanical and free-hand outline drawing, 
light and shade, and color, from both artificial and natural 
objects, and structural, decorative, and pictorial designs. 
The scope of modern manufacture allows no element lin 
drawing to be eliminated. 

47, Give sketch of outdoor perspective. 




QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 



1. What is a Constitution? 

The established form of government of a state, kingdom 
or country. 

2. What is a preamble? 

A formal and explanatory introduction. 

3. What are legislative powers^ and where are they vested 
in the United States? 

The right to make laws ; this right is vested in a Congress 
of the United States. 

4. What is the Senate? 

The upper branch of Congress. 

5. What is the House of Representatives? 

The House of Representatives is the lower branch of 
Congress. 

6. How are Senators and Representatives elected, and f of 
how long a term ? 

Senators are elected by the legislatures of the States for a 
term of six years, each State being entitled to two Senators; 
Representatives are elected by the people for a term of two 
years, each State being represented according to its popu- 
lation. 

4Sy 



488 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

7. How old must a Representative be^ and how long a 
citizen of the United States 1 

Twenty-five years old, and seven years a citizen. 

8. What is an elector ? 

A citizen entitled to vote. 

9. What is a census? 

An official enumeration of the people, with the statement 
of their property, pursuits, age, etc. 

10. How ofteji is it taken^ and what important purpose 
does it serve? 

It is taken once in ten years, and each census furnishes 
a new basis of apportioning the number of Representatives 
to the several States. 

11. If vacancies happen in the representation of any State^ 
how are they filled? 

By the executive authority of the State. 

12. What is a writ of election? 

A writing issued to an officer or officers to give notice of 
an election to be held. 

13. How does the House of Representatives organise itself 
for work? 

By electing a speaker and other officers. 

14. What sole power has this branch of Congress? 
That of impeachment. 

15. What is impeachment? 

An accusation or charge brought against a public officer 
for misconduct in office. 

1 6. Into how many classes are the Senators divided? 
Three, one class being elected every two years. 



CIVIL GOVERNMENT, 489 

17. Who is president of the Senate 1 Can he vote? 

The Vice-President of the United States presides over 
the Senate, and may vote only when the Senate is equally 
divided. 

18. Should a vacancy occur in the Senate^ what is to ie 

done ? 

The executive of the State may make a temporary 
appointment, until the next meeting of the legislature. 

19. How old must a Senator be, and how long a citizen of 
the United States 1 

Thirty years of age and nine years a citizen. 

20. Who becomes president of the Senate when the Vice- 
Preside?it is absenti 

The Senate elects or^e pro tempore. 

21. What sole power belongs to the Senate? 
That of trying all impeachments. 

22. How may the President of the United States be pun- 
ished for misdemeanor in office? 

He may be impeached by the House of Representatives, 
and tried by the Senate, the Chief Justice presiding. The 
conviction shall be by the concurrence of two-thirds of the 
Senators present. 

23. What judgment can the Senate declare against a con' 
victed President^ 

His punishment cannot extend beyond removal from 
office, and disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust 
or profit under the United States. 

24. If an officer is removed from office by an impeachment 
trial, is he subject to the common law? 

He is liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment, 
and punishment, according to law, if the offence is criminal. 



490 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

25. What is a judgments What is an indictment i 

A judgment is the sentence pronounced by the judge or 
court by whom a person is tried. An indictment is a writ- 
ten accusation of crime made by a grand jury. 

26. What are an oath and an affirmation 'i 

An oath is a solemn declaration, made with an appeal to 
God as to the truth of what is stated. An affirmation is a 
solemn declaration, made by one who is unwilling to take 
an oath. 

27. What officers does the Senate choose? 
All its officers except its president. 

28. What is the meaning of pro tempore? 
"For the time being." 

29. Who appoints the times, places, and manner 0/ holding 
elections of Sejiators and Representatives? 

They are prescribed in each State by the legislature 
thereof; but Congress may at any time by law make or 
alter such regulations, except as to the places of choosing 
Senators. 

30. If disputes arise in election returns, how are they to be 
decided? 

Each house is judge of the elections, returns, and quali- 
fications of its own members. 

31. How many does it require to do business? 

A majority; but a smaller number may compel the 
attendance of absent members, in such manner and under 
such penalties as each house may provide. 

32. What power has each house over its members? 

It may punish them for disorderly behavior, and, with 
the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member. 



CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 491 

33. Can either house adjourn at pleasured 

Not for more than three days, without the consent of 
the other house. 

34. Must each house keep a record {or journal) of its 
proceedings 1 

It must, in the form of a journal, which shall be printed 
unless secrecy is required. 

35. When shall the yeas and nays be entered on the 
journals 

When one-fifth of those present require it. 

36. When shall Congress assembled 

On the first Monday in December; but it may be con- 
vened by the President, when necessary, or Congress may 
adjourn from time to time. 

37. How do members receive compensation i 

The amount is fixed by law ; and it is paid out of the 
treasury of the United States. 

38. May a member be arrested while Congress is in 
session^ 

Only for felony, treason, or breach of the peace. 

39. How is the privilege of free speech preserved to mem- 
bers of Congress 7 

No member may be questioned in any other 'place as to 
any speech or debate in Congress. 

40. Can a person hold an office under the United States 
and be a member of Congress 1 

He can not. 

41. Where shall bills for raising revenue originate f 
In the House of Representatives. 

42. What is revenue^ and what is a billf 

Revenue is the income of government, arising from taxesb 



492 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

duties, etc. A bill is a formal writing presented to 

a legislature for enactment into law. 

43. How does a bill become a law ? 

By passing both houses of Congress, and receiving the 
sanction of the President, or by being retained by him, 
without action, for ten days; but if returned within ten 
days, Sundays excepted, with his objections, it does not 
become a law, unless reconsidered and passed by a two- 
thirds vote of both houses. 

44. What question does not require the sanction of the 

Presidenfi 

The question of adjournment, except in case of disagree- 
ment between the two houses with respect to the time of 
adjournment, when the President may adjourn them to 
such a time as he shall think proper. 

45. What are the powers of Congress 1 

According to Section 8 of the Constitution, "The 
Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, 
imposts, and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the 
common defense and general welfare of the United States, 
but all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform 
throughout the United States; to borrow money on the 
credit of the United States; to regulate commerce with 
foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the 
Indian tribes ; to establish a uniform rule of naturalization, 
and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout 
the United States; to coin money, regulate the value 
thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights 
and measures; to provide for the punishment of counter- 
feiting the securities and current coin of the United States; 
to establish post-offices and post-roads; to promote the 
progress of science and the useful arts, by securing for 
limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right 
to their respective writings and discoveries; to constitute 



CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 493 

tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court, to define and punish 
piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses 
against the law of nations; to declare war, grant letters of 
marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures 
on 'land and water; to raise and support armies, but no 
appropriation of money to that use shall be made for a 
longer term than two years; to provide and maintain a 
navy; to make rules for the government and regulation of 
the land and naval forces; to provide for calling forth the 
militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrec- 
tions, and repel invasions; to provide for organizing, 
arming, and disciplining the militia, and for governing such 
part of them as may be employed in the service of the 
United States, reserving to the States respectively the 
appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the 
militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; 
to exercise exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, 
over such district (not exeeding ten miles square) as may, 
by cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Con- 
gress, become the seat of government of the United States, 
and exercise like authority over all places purchased by the 
consent of the legislature of the State in which the same 
shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dock- 
yards, and other needful buildings; and to make all laws 
which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into exe- 
cution the foregoing powers and all others vested by this 
Constitution in the government of the United States, or any 
department or officer thereof." 

46. What is meant by the law of nations? 

The law of nations, the accepted or universal laws of all 
nations. 

47. What are letters of marque and reprisal! 

Written authority from the government to seize the 
property of an enemy, especially vessels and cargoes. 



494 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

48. What are duties, imports^ and excises 1 

A duty is a tax levied on imports. Imports are goods 
brought from other countries. Excises are taxes on 
anything made, used, or sold. 

49. What is the militia? 

The organization of citizens of a State liable to military 
duty and enrolled for service. 

50. Over what district may Congress exercise exclusive 
legislation ? 

The District of Columbia. 

51. What are forts, magazines, arsenals, and dockyards? 

A fort is a place of military defense. A magazine is a 
store where ammunition is kept. An arsenal is a repository 
for arms and military stores. A dockyard is a place con- 
taining all kinds of naval stores and timber. 

52. What is the writ 0/ habeas corpus, and when can it 
be suspended? 

The writ of habeas corpus is a legal process for delivering 
a person from false imprisonment, and can be suspended 
only in cases of treason or when the public safety requires it. 

53. What is a bill of attainder? 

A special act of the legislature inflicting capital punish- 
ment upon persons supposed to be guilty of high crimes, 
without process of law, and involving forfeiture of his 
estates and the permanent dishonor of his name. It is not 
allowed by the Constitution of the United States. 

54. , What is an ex post facto law? 

A law making an act criminal which was not such when 
committed, or increasing its penalty in like manner. This 
is not allowed, either. 



CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 495 

55. May a tax or duty be laid on articles exported from 
any State 1 

No. 

56. How about titles of nobility and the receiving of 
presents ? 

No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States ^ 
and no person holding an office of profit or trust under 
them shall, without the consent of Congress, accept of any 
present, emolument, office or title of any kind whatever, 
from any king, prince or foreign state. 

57. May any State enter into any treaty, alliance, or 
confederation ? 

No. 

58. May a State engage in war? 

Not unless in imminent danger from invasion. 

59. What are the States forbidden to do in regard to 
imposts ? 

No State may, without an act of Congress, lay any imposts 
or duties on imports or exports, except what may be abso- 
lutely necessary for executing its inspection laws. 

60. In whom is the executive power of the United States 
vested? 

In a President. 

61. Who is eligible to this office? 

Any citizen born in the United States, thirty-five years 
of age, and fourteen years a resident. 

62. How are the President and Vice-President elected? 

By Electors chosen by the people. The Electors meet 
in their respective States and vote by distinct ballots for 
President and Vice-President. These votes are sealed and 
transmitted to the seat of government of the United States, 
directed to the president of the Senate. The president of 



496 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

the Senate, in the presence of the Senate and House of 
Representatives, opens all the certificates, and the votes are 
then counted; the person having the greatest number of 
votes for President shall be President, if such number be a 
majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and 
if no person have such majority, then from the persons 
having the highest number, not exceeding three, on the 
list of those voted for as President, the House of Represent- 
atives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. 
The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice- 
President shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a 
majority of the whole number of electors appointed, and, if 
no person have a majority, then from the two having the 
highest numbers on the list the Senate shall choose the 
Vice-President. 

63. Supposing the House of Representatives fail to elect a 
President when the right of choice devolves upon it, who shall 
act as President? 

The Constitution provides that the Vice-President shall 
act as President in the case of the death or other disability 
of the President. 

64. What may Congress determine in regard to the time oj 
choosing the Electors ? 

Congress may determine the time of choosing the 
Electors, and the day on which they shall give their vote, 
which day shall be the same throughout the United States. 

65. How is the President compensated for his services? 

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his serv- 
ices a compensation which shall neither be increased nor 
diminished during the period for which he shall have been 
elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other 
emolument from the United States, or any of them. 

66. What oath must he take before he enters upon the 
execution of his office? 

"I do solemnly swear (ox atnrm) that I will faithfully 



CIVIL GOVERNMENT, 497 

execute the office of President of the United States, and 
will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend 
the Constitution of the United States." 

67. Who is commander-in-chief of the army and navy 1 
The President. 

68. What offenses is he not permitted to pardon 1 
Cases of impeachment. 

69. What especially high privileges does he enjoy! 

He has the right, with the advice and consent of the 
Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators 
present concur, and with the advice and consent of the 
Senate he shall appoint ambassadors, ministers, judges, and 
officers of the United States, and all appointments which 
shall be established by law. 

70. If a vacancy in ari appointive office occurs during 
a recess of Congress, how is it filled'} 

By an appointment by the President. 

71. What is the President's message? 

A paper addressed to Congress, stating the condition of 
the country, and proposing such measures as he may judge 
necessary and expedient. 

72. For what crimes can the President, Vice-President, 
a?id all civil officers of the United States be impeached! 

Treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misde- 
meanors. 

73. What is treason? 

Treason against the United States shall consist only in 
levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, 
giving them aid and comfort. 

74. What is bribeiy? 

Bribery is giving money or some other valuable consider- 



498 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

ation to procure desired legislation, a judicial decision, or 
other official action. 

75. In what is the judicial power of the United States 
vested! 

In a Supreme Court and such inferior courts as Congress 
may from time to time establish. 

76. How long do the judges of the Supreme Court hold 
office 1 

During life or good behavior. 

77. To what cases does their power extendi 

To all cases arising under the Constitution, the laws of 
the United States, and cases that cannot be settled in the 
Supreme Court of any State. 

78. In what cases has the Supreme Court original juris- 
diction 1 

In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers 
and consuls, and those to which a State shall be a party. 
In other cases the Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction, 
or jurisdiction by an appeal from the lower courts. 

7g. Where shall a crinii?ial be tried? 

In the State where the crime is committed. 

80. If the crime is not committed in the United States, 
where must the trial be held? 

At such a place or places as Congress may by law have 
directed. 

8 1 . What crimes are not tried by jury ? 
Crimes subject to impeachment. 

82. What power declares the punishment of treason! 
Congress; but no person shall be convicted of treason 

unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt 
act, or on confession in open court 



CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 



499 



83. What is meant by '■'■ No attainder of treason shall work 
corruption of blood or forfeiture, except during the life of the 
person attainted^'' 1 

That the relatives of the person convicted shall not be 
denied any rights because of his conviction. 

84. What credit shall be given in each State to the acts of 
every other? 

Full faith and credit must be given in each State to the 
public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other 
State. 

85. Can a person charged with crime in o?ie State be taken 
from another State 1 

Only on demand of the executive authority of the State 
where the crime was committed. 

86. How are new States admitted into the Union? 
By consent of Congress. 

87. How can new States be formed? 

From Territories having 30,000 inhabitants, or from 
States or parts of States with the consent of those 

States. 

88. What power has Congress in regard to the territory and 
other property belonging to the United States ? 

It has power to dispose of, and make all needful rules 
and regulations respecting it. 

89. What shall the United States guarantee to every State 
in the Union? 

A republican form of government and protection. 

90. What is the supreme law of the land? 

The Constitution and laws of the United States. All 
government officers and representatives are bound by oath 
to support it. 



500 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

91. Are religious tests permitted! 

No religious test shall be required as a qualification to 
any office or public trust under the United States. 

92. How may the Constitution be amended? 

By two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress, or by the 
action of the legislatures of two-thirds of the States, 
ratified in either case by three-fourths of all the States. 

93. How many amendments have been made to the Consti- 
tution^ and when were the first ten adopted 7 

Fifteen; the first ten were adopted at the first session of 
Congress. 

94. What did Congress grant in the first amendme?it to the 
Co7istitution / 

Freedom of religion, of speech, of the press, and the right 
of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the 
government for a redress of grievances. 

95. What privilege was given the States in the second 
amendment? 

The right of the people to keep and bear arms. 

96. What is the law respecting the quartering of soldiers 
in any house in the time of peace? 

No soldier shall, in the time of peace, be quartered in any 
house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, 
save in a manner to be prescribed by law. 

97. What rights are secured to the people in the fourth 
amendment? 

The right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, 
and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. 

98. Can a person be twice put in jeopardy of life or limbi 

No. 



CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 501 

99. Can a person be compelled to be a witness against 
himself 1 

He can not. 

100. What is the law respecting the taking of private 
property! 

If taken for public use, the owner shall have just com 
pensation. 

1 01. By the sixth amendment, what rights shall the 
accused enjoy in all criminal prosecutions ? 

The right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial 
jury; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to 
have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his 
favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. 

102. When shall the right of trial by jury be preserved? 
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy 

shall exceed twenty dollars. 

103. What must not be required, or imposed, or inflicted, 
by the eighth amendment? 

Excessive bail must not be required, or excessive fines 
imposed, or cruel and unusual punishment inflicted. 

104. By the tenth amendment, what powers are reserved 
to the States respectively, or to the people? 

The powers not delegated to the United States by the 
Constitution, or prohibited by it to the States. 

105. What does the thirteenth ame7idment prohibit? 
Slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment 

for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. 

106. By the fourteenth amendment, who is forbidden to 
hold certain offices? 

Persons who have held office under the United States, or 
any State, and have been engaged in insurrection or 
rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the 



502 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds 
of each house, remove such disability. 

107. What is said of the public debt? 

The validity of the public debt of the United States, 
authorized by law, shall not be questioned. Any debt or 
obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against 
the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation 
of any slave, shall be held illegal and void. 

108. What does the fifteenth amend?nent provide? 

That the right of the citizens of the United States to vote 
shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by 
any State on account of race, color or previous condition 
of servitude. 

log. What two important measures were passed by the 
4.8th and 4gth Congresses to remedy a possible defect in the 
Constitution ? 

A law providing rules for counting the Electoral vote, 
and a Presidential succession law. 

no. What is the law in regard to the Presidential 
succession ? 

"In case of removal, death, resignation, or inability of 
both the President and Vice-President, a member of the 
Cabinet shall, in the following order, act as President until 
the disability is removed or a President elected: The Sec- 
retary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of War, 
Attorney General, Postmaster General, Secretary of the 
Navy, Secretary of the Interior; provided, that whenever 
the powers or duties of the office of President of the United 
States shall devolve upon any of the persons named therein, 
if Congress be not then in session, or if it would not meet 
in accordance with law within twenty days thereafter, it 
shall be the duty of the person upon whom the said powers 
and duties shall devolve, to issue a proclamation convening 
Congress in extraordinary session, giving twenty days' 



CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 503 

notice of the time of meeting." This act was approved Jan- 
uary 19, 1886. 

111. What legislation has since been enacted to facilitate 
the work of the Supreme Court of the United States? 

An act of Congress, passed early in 1891, required the 
President to appoint an additional judge in each of the nine 
United States circuits. This judge, with the circuit judges 
and the Judge of the Supreme Court for that district, con- 
stitute a Circuit Court of Appeals, empowered to pass finally 
upon certain classes of cases, thus relieving the Supreme 
Court of the United States of much of its purely routine 
business. 

112. What are the four main forms of government? 

1. The monarchy, the government of one, the strong. 

2. The aristocracy, the government of the few, the wise. 

3. The democracy, the government of the many, the good. 

4. The republic, a combination of the other three: the 
president representing, in many respects, the king; the senate 
representing the aristocracy; and the house of representatives 
representing the democracy; thus combining the strong, the 
wise, and the good. 

113. What three dangers menace a republic? 

1. Indifference of the mass of the people to their civic 
duty. They are often careless about attending the primary, 
to see that good men may be nominated; careless about 
voting and careless about watching their officers to see if 
they do the duty assigned to them honestly, carefully and 
lawfully. 

2. The demagogue, a would-be leader who seeks to gain 
political power, only for his own selfish purposes. 

3. Tyranny, which is an exercise of power by an officer 
without regard to either justice or law. 



504 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

114. What is meant by the terms initiative and referen- 
dum and recall? 

"The initiative" refers to the giving of power to the people 
of a State so that at any time a certain small per cent, of 
them can ask that a certain bill which they have dravv'n up be 
made a law by the legislature of that State; and if the 
majority of the voters so order, the legislature must obey. 

"The referendum" is concerned when a certain per cent, 
of the people can demand of their legislature that a law 
which has already been enacted by them be referred to the 
people to be voted upon ; and if less than a majority of the 
votes are for the law then such law fails. 

115. What is a direct tax? What is an indirect tax? 
When a tax is levied upon the very person or persons who 

are likely to bear the burden, it is said to be a direct tax; 
as, tax on land, tax on personal property, the income tax, 
inheritance tax, corporation tax, franchise tax, etc. But 
when a tax is paid by one person and by him transferred in 
whole or in part to another person, it is said to be indirect; 
as where an importer of silk pays a custom duty of fifty cents 
a yard, and adds fifty cents to the price of each yard of silk, 
thus transferring the tax to his customer; or as when a 
maker of cigars pays an excise tax of one dollar on a box of 
cigars that he manufactures, he sells that box of cigars to a 
customer at a price covering the amount of the excise duty. 
Thus the customer in reality pays the tax, and when he 
eventually sells these out to the smokers, the one dollar is 
added in again. So all indirect taxes are paid by the con- 
sumer of the goods. 

116. What is currency? 

Money, whether metallic or paper, which circulates at its 
face value. 

Mexican silver dollars are money, but not currency in the 
United States because they do not circulate at their face 
value, but at a discount. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

ON 

PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY. 



1. W.hat is psychology? 

The science of the phenomena of mind. 

2. What objection is there to defining psychology as the 
science of mind? 

Nothing is known of the mind itself, but only of what it 
does, or its phenomena. 

3. What is the difference between mindj soul, and spirit? 
They are one and the same, except that usage has given 

them slight differences in meaning. Soul suggests the close 
relation between mind and body, and spirit the moral and 
religious activities of mind. 

4. What is the educational importance of psychology? 

It is the science of the activities of mind, and it reveals the 
processes upon which educational methods must be based. 

5. What different ways of studying psychology are there? 
One may study the action of his own mind. He may 

study children, and watch the development of mind. He 
may study lower animals to learn of the lower stages of 
psychical life, or he may study defective and disordered minds. 
Or instead of studying mind he may study its products, and 
reason back to the activities of mind necessary to produce 
those results. 

505 



5o6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

6. What is the organ of mind? 
The brain, 

7. How do we get our first elements of knowledgs? 
Through sensation. 

8. What are the conditions of sensation? 

An external stimulus, nerves, and nerve-centers. 

9. What is the function of the nerves? 

They transmit stimulations from the surface of the body 
to the nerve-centers, and transmit impulses from those 
centers to the muscles. 

10. What is the function of nerve-cells? 

They receive the stimulations transmitted by the nerves, 
and send impulses along the nerves to the muscles. 

11. Illustrate the process of sensation. 

The hand comes in contact with a hot coal. The nerve 
transmits the message to the brain, and it, in turn, sends it 
on to the muscles, and the hand is w^ithdrawn. 

12. Define sensation. 

A sensation is that simple mental fact which, under normal 
circumstances, directly follows the last change in the brain 
in consequence of the stimulation of a sensory nerve. (See 
Gordy's Psychology.) 

13. Through what organs does the stimulation reach the 
nerve? 

Through the organs of touch, sight, hearing, smell, and 
taste. 

14. What is the most important sense? 

Touch. The other senses are but differentiations of it. 
Biology proves this. It is also a well-known fact that the 
other senses depend upon it for assistance and confirmation. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY. 507 

15. What practical inference should be drawn from the 
above facts? 

That in early education the teacher must rely largely upon 
the sense of touch. The child is not perfectly satisfied until 
he has the object he perceives in his hand, and turns it over 
and over — and learns its qualities for himself. It is not 
enough that the teacher hold the object. Each child, to 
secure the best results, must actually handle it. This kind 
of objective teaching, sensibly adapted to the stage of de- 
velopment reached by the pupil, rests upon a psychological 
basis. 

16. What is the special value of the sense of sight in 
education ? 

When there is presented a vi^hole, made up of coexistent 
parts, the eye seems specially adapted to grasp the relations 
of a complex subject. Hence the use of maps, charts, and 
all graphic representations. 

17. What attention should be paid to individual differences 
in sense-organs? 

Sometimes one sense predominates in one child, and 
another in another. For instance, if hearing predominates, 
a pupil vi^ill learn more easily by studying aloud or by oral 
teaching. Many people can more easily understand or 
memorize what they write. In this case muscular activity 
with touch takes the lead. A one-sided development of any 
sense is to be avoided, but a teacher can often be of great 
service to the pupil by knowing what sense predominates, 
and appealing to it. 

18. What is the ultimate aim in appealing to the senses? 
To develop the self-activity of the child by putting into 

^motion those processes that will apprehend the sensations 
so that they will grow naturally into memory, imagination, 
and thought. It must be borne in mind that sensation is 
not knowledge, but a stimulus to it and material for it. 



5o8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

19. What is interest? 

Interest can be felt better than defined. It does not give 
information, but it helps in acquiring it. It arises from the 
state of the mind itself. It is emotional. It is usually 
accompanied by pain or pleasure. 

20. What is the psychological value of interest? 

It is the means by which the mind is drawn to any sub- 
ject, and led to exercise itself upon it. The mind is indiffer- 
ent to whatever does not interest it. 

21. What educational principle should be deduced? 
That teaching should always appeal to some interest, and 

if the subject is of itself uninteresting, interest should be 
made to gather about it by an attractive method of presenta- 
tion or by the personal power of the teacher. 

22. What are impulses? 

They are activities that arise from some feeling of want — 
for instance, the impulse for food. Impulses are classified 
according to the stimulus that arouses the sense of want: 
impulses of sensation, of perception, of imitation, and of 
expression. 

23. What should the i?npulse of imitation lead a teacher 
to be? 

As perfect a model as possible. When a pupil is in sym- 
pathy with a teacher it is a delight to imitate him. Thus 
all the characteristics of a teacher — self-control, energy, in- 
tellectuality, etc., as well as personal habits, neatness, dress, 
voice, manners — have a powerful influence in forming the 
character of the pupil. 

24. What are sensation, interest, and impulse called? 
The bases of psychical life. 

25. What is attention? 

Attention is that act of the mind by which we bring into 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY. 509 

clear consciousness any subject or object before the mind. 
( Gordy. ) 

26. What is voluntary attention? 

Voluntary attention is that which comes through an exer- 
cise of the will, and not through the thing attended to. 

27. What is non-voluntary attention? , 
It is that attention which results from the influence exerted 

upon the mind by the thing attended to, in and of itself. 
(Gordy.) 

28. What is the importance of attention? 

It is the one condition of learning that cannot be dispensed 
with. Its importance can hardly be overestimated. 

29. Show that the sensations of which we are conscious 
depend upon attention. 

One may be absorbed by a book, and not hear the clock 
strike, because his attention is concentrated upon the book. 
A person senses only that to which he attends. The strength 
of the sensation depends upon the degree of attention. 

30. Can attention be secured by a direction of the teacher 
to "pay attention" ? 

No. Attention, to be of great value, cannot be forced. 
The subject-matter must be made interesting, and then at- 
tention will follow. The importance of interest in securing 
attention is great. It is well to remember that interest and 
amusement are not synonymous. 

31. Is inatterition on the part of the pupil a culpable 
fault? 

It is not. Very few if any young pupils are capable of 
continuous voluntary attention. This power must be trained 
and cultivated. 

32. How can voluntary attention be secured? 

Its basis is interest. Interest leads to non-voluntary at- 



5IO COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

tention, this in turn to voluntary attention, which is the test 
and condition of intellectual development. 

33. What is meant by the association of ideas? 

When there arises out of some presentation or idea another 
idea, and out of that another, and so on, the whole process 
is called the association of ideas. 

34. What are the two laws of association? 

The law of association by contiguity, that thoughts, or 
ideas, or experiences which have been in the mind at or 
about the same time tend to recall each other; and the law 
of association by similarity, that similar thoughts, or ideas, 
or experiences tend to recall each other. (Gordy.) 

35. What are the results of association? 

Through it order and regularity come into psychical life. 
Ideas are no longer isolated, but follow, one after the other, 
in a connected manner, forming a train of ideas having 
some unity. 

36. How is habit connected with the association of ideas? 

By habit is meant such a thoroughly formed train of 
associations that if one part of the train comes into conscious- 
ness the rest follows without any exercise of the will. 

37. hifer the value of association from the value of habit. 
It is by the formation of habits that the child learns to talk, 

to walk, or to control himself in any definite direction. If 
habits were not formed each act of life would require con- 
scious attention. Habit relieves the mind from the supervi- 
sion of all acts that have become habitual, and leaves it free 
to devote itself to other matters. Hence the importance of the 
basis of habit — association. 

38. What is the important principle in the formation 
of habits in early education? 

Repetition. It is an unfailing law that the power and 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY. 511 

tendency to follow any course of action are measured by the 
frequency with which acts have been repeated. 

The law holds in all education — physical, intellectual, 
moral. A teacher understanding this can greatly aid in con- 
structing for his young pupils a bulwark of strength against 
later encroachments, by sinking the primary elements of 
character into habits. 

39. What are non-voluntary attention, voluntary atten- 
tion, and association sometimes called? 

The psychical processes, which, acting upon sensation, in- 
terest, and impulse, result in the three forms of psychical de- 
velopment — the intellectual, the emotional, and the volitional. 

40. What is perception, and upon what does it depend? 
It is the recognition of some object present to the senses. 

It depends upon the power to observe. 

41. State the importance of the training of perception. 

Perception is the germ of all other stages of knowledge; 
therefore, unless perception is rightly trained, memory, imag- 
ination, and thought, which grow out of it, will suffer, not 
only because there is not sufficient material for them, but the 
mental activities necessary will be defective. Training in 
the power to observe should be one of the prime objects of a 
teacher's work. 

42. What has been introduced into the schools in later 

years mainly for the purpose of training in the power tdi 
observe? 

Nature-work. 

43. What is apperception? 

It is a process of interpretation. When a new truth is 
presented to the mind, that which is already in the mind 
interprets the new as well as it can, and attaches it to the body 
of knowledge already there. 



512 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

44. What is retention? 

The effect which the new has upon the old content is 
called retention. 

45. What should take the place of verbal memorizing? 
Memory should be trained through the apperceiving 

powers. If the original perception is clear and comprehen- 
sive, memory will take care of itself, at least with the proper 
am.ount of repetition. 

46. How does imagination differ from memory? 

It is not, like memory, held to actual experience. It takes 
the mind beyond its own experience, beyond the present 
and apparent. It idealizes. 

47. Can the imagination he directly trained? 

Not to any extent. Imagination is the outgrowth of per- 
ception and memory, and if they supply scanty material it 
will be defective. Certain studies cultivate the imagination; 
such as geography, history, and literature; also the observa- 
tion of the beauties of nature. 

48. Upon what does the stage of intellectual development 
called thinking depend? 

Upon all that precedes. Thinking is not a faculty by it- 
self apart from what is thought of. It is the outcome of 
perception, memory, and imagination. If the basis upon 
which thinking rests is weak, there will not be much power 
of thought. 

Thinking deals with what is general, or with classes, and 
not with particulars. It also deals with relations. 

49. What is meant by relations? 

Relations arise from comparison for the purpose of noting 
identity or difference. It involves analysis or synthesis — or in- 
duction and deduction. Induction begins with particulars 
and proceeds to the general. Deduction begins with the gen- 
eral and proceeds to the particular. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY. 513 

50. What subjects best train thought? 

Language and science. In both these are classification, 
grouping, selection. In science especially there is exact state- 
ment of relations, of groups of relations, of reference of fact 
to law and law to fact. In every step of science there is 
reasoning. 

51. What are some of the conditions of emotional develop- 
ment, or of interest? 

1. "Activity is a law of childhood." It may be added that 
it is a law of any normal mind. The mind strives to ex- 
press itself in some way, and whatever calls forth this activity 
increases interest. This principle is almost the highest in 
educational importance. The child's own activity must be 
appealed to in order to interest him in any subject. 

2. Stimulus to mental activity must be adapted to the 
stage of development which the child has reached. Too easy 
material, or too difficult, fails to rouse interest. 

3. Change or alternation in studies, or a new way of pre- 
senting them, will often arouse interest. The nerves, fatigued 
in one direction, will give stronger impressions in another. 
The personality of the teacher is an important factor in de- 
veloping the emotional side of a child's nature. 

52. What studies appeal to the emotions? 
Art, music, and literature. 

53. When does impulse turn into volition, or will? 
When it is controlled by the processes of attention and 

association, and harmonized by the conception of some end. 
This may be more curtly expressed by saying that not only 
knowing, but doing, is included in an act of the will. 

54. What studies particularly cultivate volition? 
Manual training and laboratory work. 

55. Discuss method in teaching. 

Method rightly understood is of the highest value. The 



514 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

whole subject of education practically rests upon it. But 
in order to be of value it must be tributary to the natural 
processes of mind. True methods are ways of approach to 
the learner's mind, and ways of directing its activities ac- 
cording to well-understood laws. 

56. What has brought "methods" into disrepute? 
Servile imitation of methods not apprehended, mechanical 

adherence to empirical rules, and blind observance of peda- 
gogical formulae, so that much that is called teaching is 
nothing but dead formalism. 

57. Are any "set" methods profitable? 

No. A teacher should be sufficiently versatile to adapt 
his method to his pupil. A teacher with high aims and en- 
thusiastic devotion to his work, thoroughly versed in the 
subject he has to teach, knowing the laws that govern mental 
development, will be able to teach effectively without any 
knowledge of methods per se. His method is simply his way. 
He originates his method. 

58. What method (in the broad sense of the term) is best 
adapted to young pupils? 

The analytic. The immature mind cannot perform the 
necessary analysis for itself. It is the duty of the teacher 
to subdivide and analyze the matter to be taught, so that 
the pupil's mind shall work analytically. 

This method economizes mental energy, and excludes what 
does not pertain to the subject-matter. It is also important 
in that it tends to form the analytic habit. 

59. To use the analytic method successfully, in what should 
a teacher be skilled? 

In the art of questioning. 

60. What danger is there in questioning? 

Danger that the subject will be too minutely analyzed, and 
questions will be weak and unstimulating. One writer says: 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY. 5^5 

"Witness the 'mob' of questions that the young teacher is 
recommended to ask on three or four lines of a reading les- 
son. Witness the trivial development questions recommend- 
ed for the evolution of ideas already in the child's mind if he 
has a minimum of brain power." But, in spite of this danger, 
an eminent authority has said that the art of teaching is the 
art of questioning. 

6i. Give suggestions in regard to questioning; 
Questions should be definite, and not vague. 
Questions should follow each other in logical sequence. 
Questions should be neither too easy nor too difficult. 
Questions should be varied in form. 
Questions should be given in clear and concise language. 

62. In presenting a subject for the first timej to what 
should the first questions relate? 

To that which is already in the mind most nearly related 
to the new subject. This is in accordance with the principle 
of apperception. A brief review of a previous related lesson 
puts the mind in the best attitude to receive the new. 

63. Of what use is an oral reproduction, or recitation? 
To test the pupil's knowledge of the subject. 

To cultivate oral expression. 

To detect and correct mistakes in knowledge, and to im- 
part any necessary additional information. 

64. Of what further use is a ivritten reproduction? 

To give opportunit}' for independent thought without the 
stimulus of answers from other pupils. 

To furnish practice in composition, writing, spelling, and 
punctuation. 

65. When is a topical reproduction in order? 

When questions have led to a thorough apprehension of the 
subject-matter, a summary, suggested by a few topics, should 



5i6 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

be given — so that what has been grasped and expressed in 
isolated sentences may be reproduced in connected form. 

66. Does the analytic method conflict with the educational 
principle '^Proceed from the whole to the parts"? 

It does not. Any part of a subject to be presented may be 
considered as a whole. It is one of the secrets of good 
teaching that every lesson should have a central truth, or a 
whole, around which the questions of the presentation should 
gather. 

67. Does presentation of a subject exclude the use of text- 
books? 

On the contrary it gives greater value to them. When the 
"ground" is once broken by judicious questioning, a pupil is 
able to study intelligently and with less danger of memorizing 
words and nothing more. 

68. Give arguments favoring the individual training of 
the pupil. 

Reference has been made to the difference in the suscep- 
tibility of the sense-organs of different people. It has also 
been stated that memory, imagination, and reasoning are all 
built up on sensation. The inference must be that differences 
exist in the higher activities, and probably in a greater de- 
gree. If the best training is that which most nearly accords 
with the nature of the child, the argument for individual 
training is strong. 

69. Do the present conditions in the public schools favor 
such training? 

They do not. The large number of pupils for each teacher 
renders it difficult to look after the individual. Children are 
taught en masse, and consequently the results to individuals 
are often unsatisfactory. 

70. What benefits arise from grouping children in classes? 
To quote Colonel Parker : "A school is a community ; com- 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY. 517 

munity life is indispensable to mfental and moral growth. If 
the act of an individual in any way hinders the best work of 
the community he is in the wrong. The highest duty of the 
individual is to contribute all in his power to the best good 
of all. How much noise shall there be in the school? JusS 
enough to assist each and all to do their best work. How 
quiet shall it be? Just enough to assist each and all to do 
their best work. How much whispering? Every rule, in 
order that it may be of educative influence, consists in 
carrying out this motto, — 'Everything to help, and nothing to 
hinder.' " 

71. Give arguments for graded schools. 

Under present conditions the arrangement of pupils in 
grades seems a necessity. If they were ungraded, and the 
number as large as at present, it would result in confusion. 
Then, too, the work of the teacher in preparing to give in- 
struction on many subjects, and in many branches of a sub- 
ject, would be unbearable. 

72. Arguments against. 

Grading pupils tends to turn the school into a machine, to 
lessen freedom in learning, to furnish unworthy incentives 
to study, that of passing into the next grade being the main 
one ; also to bring about undue anxiety and worry for fear of 
falling short of requirements. 

73. What reasons hold for introducing so many subjects 
of study into the primary and grammar schools? 

To open the eyes of young children to all about them, that 
they may better observe and be interested in whatever of good 
comes into their lives. Dr. Stanley Hall says: "Graft the 
soul of the child all over with little buds." 

74. What is the danger of presenting so many subjects? 
Teachers, in their anxiety to be thorough and exhaustive, 

do not adapt the quantity of material presented to the ca- 



5i8 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

pacity of their pupils. They forget it is only the germs of 
knowledge which the youngest are fitted to receive, and that 
no subject, even in the high school, can, with profit, be 
treated exhaustively. 

75. Criticise the present curriculum of high schools. 
Too much is attempted. Unlike the curriculum of the 

lower grades, that of the higher should be narrowed to fewer 
subjects, since there should be some approach to specializa- 
tion in the high school. 

76. Of what use is a programme of daily work? 

It economizes time, and aids in the orderly prosecution of 
the work. It leads the teacher to give some definite thought 
to the lesson before it is presented. 

77. What care should be taken in making a programme? 
To arrange the various exercises so as to bring rest with 

change. Drawing, for instance, should not follow writing, 
nor a language lesson a reading lesson, nor should an arith- 
metic reproduction follow immediately an arithmetic presen- 
tation. There should also be a change from day to day to 
relieve monotony. Care should also be taken that each sub- 
ject receives its due share of time. Observance of these sug- 
gestions will greatly increase interest. 

78. How should good government be secured in school? 

Not by many so-called "rules," nor by constant admoni- 
tion, but by securing interest in the work and establishing a 
bond of sympathy between teacher and pupil. 

79. What is the first condition of sound mental develop- 
ment? 

A healthy and well-trained body. 

80. What knowledge does this necessitate on the part of 
the teacher? 

A knowledge of the mutual relations of mind and body. 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY. 519 

81. What is the body to the mind, or soul? 

It is not only the instrument of mind, but its processes 
enter into mental processes and results. If a sense-organ is 
defective, or absent, the corresponding sensation is absent. 

82. What relation have the muscles to the will? 

They are the organs of the will, and their culture is large- 
ly the culture of the will. 

83. What is believed to be true of the mind and brain? 
That every mental process is accompanied by change in 

the brain-center. 

84. Inferring from the above, what seems necessary under 
present conditions, when population is centered in cities and 
the farms are deserted? 

That there should be some system of physical culture to 
train the body to make it the best medium of mind. 

85. What hygienic conditions should receive the constant 
attention of a teacher? 

Temperature, ventilation, light, heat, posture, and proper 
seating — that is, the seat and desk should be, according to 
definite measurements, suited to the child. 

86. What opportunity does the school furnish for moral 
training? 

Indirect moral training is given by the routine and work of 
the school. Punctuality, industry, and obedience should be- 
come habits — after ten or twelve years of practice. Fidelity 
to work, accuracy, neatness, precision, in fact nearly all of 
the more active virtuesj permeate the work of a good school. 
The personality of a noble teacher does more than all else. 

87. Should there be direct moral training? 

As conditions are at the present day, the indirect training 
is not sufficient at all times. "Line upon line, and precept 
upon precept," are needed in many cases. 



520 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

88. What was the character of the first study of pedagogy 
in this country? 

It was confined almost entirely to a study of methods. 

89. What is the later and better tendency? 

To study the principles that underlie methods, not so much 
in books as in children. The great child-study movement 
and the study of adolescence have given the study of psychol- 
ogy an impetus never before felt, and this, of course, has led 
to pedagogical changes and discoveries. 

90. State the general effect of child-study. 

No great discoveries in mental phenomena have been made, 
but what has heretofore been considered meaningless has been 
interpreted, and a new and better pedagogy has arisen. It 
has been instrumental in freeing a few teachers, at least, from 
the thraldom of rigid methods, and in arousing greater sym- 
pathy for children. It has added much to the science of edu- 
cation, inasmuch as it has called attention to everything 
pertaining to the child. 

91. Specify some of the benefits of this study in actual 
practice. 

It helps the teacher to see at what stage in the develop- 
ment of his pupils the various subjects of study should be 
taken up. It helps him in determining how much pupils can 
learn. It helps in deciding how much work can be safely re- 
quired of pupils. It helps in discovering the special gifts of 
pupils. (See Gordy's Psychology.) 

92. At what period in the training of pupils is depart- 
mental teaching of greatest value? 

In the higher grammar grades and in the high school. 

93. What is the objection to it in the lower grades? 
Before the child is able to infer correct relations between 

subjects of study the teacher must make them for him. There- 



PSYCHOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY. 521 

is danger, when there is a different teacher for each subject, 
that this correlation will not be made. 

94. What is the educational value of drawing? 

It cultivates observation, trains hand and eye, and aids 
memory. It may also aid in aesthetic culture, if properly 
taught. 

95. What should be the character of a teacher? 

The requirements in character cannot be overstated. He 
should possess good health, keen intelligence, lofty ambi- 
tions, sympathy. He should be broadly educated, refined, and 
sensitive. Special training is subordinate to the above quali- 
ties. 

96. What is the true end of education? 
The development of character. 

97. What is the soul of a person? 

It is not pure spirit, but an embodied mind. 

98. What relation exists between the soul and the body? 

and the outside universe. All that comes to the soul from 
without comes through the body, and all the soul can ex- 
press to the world it expresses through the body. 

99. Whyj then, should the body or the physical man be 
well trained? 

So that the messages sent out and those received by the 
soul may be the more nearly perfect. 

100. // a person is deficient in any of the senses, or in 
physical development, such as a deficiency in nerve power, or 
muscular power, what results? 

The messages sent out by the soul are ineffectively de- 
livered, and those received by the soul are likewise imperfect 
and untrustworthy. 



522 COMMON SGHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

lOi. What would the above answer suggest, then, to a 
teacher? 

That he should not only seek to strengthen the child men- 
tally but physically as well. 

102. What is the object of asking the pupil questions about 
the lesson? 

1. To discover the pupil's knowledge. 

2. To assist the pupil in so fixing that knowledge that he 
may always retain it. 

3. To extend the pupil's knowledge. 

4. To cultivate the power of expression. 

103. Define pedagogy. 

Pedagogy is the theory of education, and education is the 
practice of pedagogy. 

104. What is education? 

It is the development in a person of all the perfection of 
which his nature is capable. 

105. In conclusion, the teacher should remember the 
words of Montaigne, who said: "It is not a soul nor yet a 
body which we are educating, but a man, and we must 
not divide him." Likewise the words of Plato, who wrote: 
"We must not train one of them without the other, but 
we must drive them abreast like a span of horses harnessed 
to the same shaft." 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



ON 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF 
TEACHING. 



1. What is it to educate a human being arightf 

It is to direct the mind, the thoughts, the feelings, the 
instincts, into the channel of truth, morality, enterprise, 
determination and economy, 

2. What is economy? 

It is the careful utilization of one's forces, and may 
relate to mind, strength, money, or any of the departments 
of mind or nature by which the greatest attainments can 
be acquired with the least expense of those forces. 

3. What is political economy? 

It is the utilization of the forces of government, the 
revenues, and the establishing of those laws of economy 
by which the greatest good may be distributed among the 
people. 

4. What are some of the principles of a true political 
economy? 

To administer the laws without fear or favor, to prevent 
monopoly, to encourage thrift, to destroy the weeds of in- 

523 



524 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

dolence and vice, to teach the principles of self-reliance, 
of co-operation, of manliness, and the grand and noble ele- 
ments of truth and virtue. 

5. Do individuals have instincts? 

We are taught that reason is the great faculty by which 
man becomes the image of his Creator, and that instinct is 
nature's gift to the lower orders of creation. To us this 
teaching, although grand and noble in thought and purpose, 
does not make the true distinction between man and the 
brute. 

Man, although endowed with the power of reason, often 
displays another element of his being. He instinctively 
laughs, cries, mistrusts, is warned by some influence, and 
in many ways receives impressions which, like the instincts 
of animals, work without knowledge or reason. The divid- 
ing line between reason and instinct cannot easily be de- 
termined. 

6. What should be the greatest accomplishment of alh 
human beings? 

To strive to control the passions; to speak with purity 
of language; to rise above the vulgar and indifferent, and 
to be noble in thought, deed and purpose. 

7. How can these accomplishments be acquired? 

By the right cultivation of the mind while young. "As 
the twig is bent, so the tree is inclined." 

8. How can we estimate a nation s place in the scale of 
civilization? 

We can judge it by the history of its schools, the uni- 
versal distribution of the same general knowledge. Knowl- 
edge is the lever that controls the progress of the world. It 
is the sword of success, the armor of defence, and the power 
that prevails. 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TEACHING. 525 

9. What does the theory of teaching embrace? 

School economy, methods of instruction, methods of cul- 
ture and the history of education. 

10. Of what does school economy treat? 

The best modes of organizing the school and of utilizing 
the means of instruction. 

11. Define methods of instruction. 
Means of imparting knowledge. 

12. What do you understand by methods of culture? 
The study of the physical and mental character of man 

by which his faculties may be developed and strengthened. 

13. Of what should we treat in the history of education? 
We should compare the past with the present, and show 

the growth of education and the advantages which mark 
its progress. 

14. To what must the American people give credit for the 
wonderful development of the country's industries, and its 
arts and sciences? 

To free education. 

15. What should we take into consideration in making 
preparations for the school? 

There should be a suitable location, properly graded, 
drained and shaded. The house should be built for com- 
fort, health and pleasure. The furniture, apparatus, records 
and studies should be carefully arranged and selected. The 
whole should be homelike and attractive. 

16. What does a suitable location embrace? 
Convenience of access ; suitability of grounds and surround- 
ings; healthfulness of neighborhood, and beauty. 

17. What should be done for the school grounds? 
They should be thoroughly drained, dry, level, sodded, 



526 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

ornamented with shade trees, neatly fenced, and supplied 
with pure water. 

18. What care should you exercise over the school-house, 
the furniture^ the apparatus and the grounds? 

The teacher should consider the whole as his own, and 
be thoughtful, vigilant and mindful of the responsibility 
which has been placed upon him. 

19. Should the teacher go to his boarding-place for dinner? 

Under no consideration should he leave the school grounds, 
as his presence is required to keep peace, order, prevent teas- 
ing, protect property and strive to impress upon the pupils 
the importance of being ladies and gentlemen. 

20. . State the objects of graded schools. 

They economize the labor of instruction; lessen the cost; 
make teachers more effective ; promote good order in school ; 
prompt the ambition of pupils; provide instruction in the 
higher branches of learning; and remove the necessity of 
children's leaving home to obtain a good education. 

21. How are schools graded? 

Into the primary, the grammar and the high school. 

22. What branches are taught in the higher department of 
these graded schools? 

The high-school course embraces algebra and higher mathe- 
matics, rhetoric, political economy, history, physiology, and 
the studies of nature, business and language. 

23. Upon what should the size of a school-house de- 
pend? 

Upon the number of pupils in attendance. An un- 
graded school, to be taught by one teacher, should contain 
at least nine hundred square feet. A house designed for 
50 to 80 scholars and one recitation room, fifteen hundred 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TEACHING. 527 

square feet. One for 80 to 120 scholars and two recitation 
rooms, two thousand square feet. 

24. Describe a suitable school-house for rural districts. 

It should be rectangular in form. The door should be at 
the south end, while the north end should be without 
entrance or windows. The main room should be from 
twelve to sixteen feet high. The house should contain an 
apartment for clothing and necessaries. It should be well 
lighted, warmed and ventilated. 

25. How should a school-house be warmed? 

Provide a good stove, pipe and chimney. Surround the 
stove with a tin casing made to extend from the floor to 
about one foot above the top of the stove. There should 
be a door in the casing for putting in fuel; and a trunk for 
the conveyance of fresh air should start outside of the build- 
ing, run under the floor and communicate directly with the 
door. The object of the tin casing and the trunk must be 
apparent to all, as the former will prevent the burning of 
clothing and the latter will supply a pure current of air upon 
which combustion depends. 

26. How should a school-room be ventilated? 
Ventilation should be regulated by the lowering of the 

windows from the top instead of raising the bottom sash, 
especially in cool weather. This will prevent a direct draft 
upon the heads of the pupils. Openings in the ceiling 
and doors will also be a means of relieving the heated 
pressure. 

27. What should be the furniture and equipment of a 
school-room? 

The desks should be of modern approval and set so as 
to enable all pupils to pass to and from their seats without 
creating confusion. There should be a library of reference 
books; a complete dictionary; a geographical gazetteer; a 



528 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

biographical dictionary; a popular encyclopedia; sets of his- 
torical and physiological charts; outline maps. 

28. How should the teacher s desk be arranged? 

It should embody a plain business office desk, with drawers, 
shelves, closets and book-rack. 

29. With what apparatus should schools be supplied? 

A set of cards for teaching the alphabet, pronunciation, 
spelling, and elementary reading, with a stand to hang 
them upon; letter-blocks, and a chart of elementary sounds; 
writing charts ; drawing cards and material ; a numerical 
frame, and sets of square and cube root blocks; a globe, a 
set of outline maps, and a Tellurian; charts of history; a 
case of minerals and curiosities; engravings, and a ther- 
mometer. 

30. What should be the temperature of a school-roomf 

In our estimation it should be 72° Fahr., although many 
claim that this temperature is too high; we must remember 
that the moving teacher cannot judge by his own feelings 
what would necessarily please the children. 

31. Of what use are school-records? 

To aid the teacher in his work; to give information to 
parents and school officers; to furnish educational statis- 
tics; to exert a beneficial influence upon the pupils. 

32. What should be the first step in the organization of a 
school? 

To produce a good impression. The language should be 
mild, but interesting. There should be no show of superi- 
ority in power or knowledge. The teacher should arrange 
so as to obtain their confidence and respect, holding at the 
same time a deep interest for the instruction of those placed 
in his charge. 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TEACHING. 529 

3S. Give an outline of work preliminary to the organiza- 
tion of a school. 

The young teacher should consider well his adaptation 
to a particular school before engaging it. He should study 
the difficulties which he might encounter; he should lay 
his plans before the school officers and ask their advice; 
the contract should be made in writing, and if possible, 
the teacher should make the acquaintance of parents before 
opening the school. 

34. What benefits will arise by forming these acquaint- 
ances? 

It will convince the people of an interest in the school, 
and draw out their sympathies and general interest. It will 
assist in forming calculations on how to organize; and it 
will give a better chance for the study of human character. 

35. What should he the programme for the first day at 
school? 

Furnish something from the beginning that will interest; 
establish order in every movement; inquire how studies have 
formerly been arranged and how conducted. Mention the 
great principle of order, as though other rules were far 
inferior. Do not impose upon the pupils stipulations that 
this shall or that shall not be done. Be moderate in demands, 
but impress upon their minds the necessity of walking and 
studying in an orderly manner, and of keeping the school- 
room pleasant and quiet. 

36. How can you prepare a programme for every day's 
Tvorkf 

By the advice and consent of the pupils form a system of 
ivork; arrange the studies systematically; be prompt in the 
recitations, in study and in exercise. 

37. What are the employments of a school? 
Study, recitations and exercise. 



530 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOCA. 

38. What are the objects of study 1 
Knowledge, discipline, aspiration and efficiency. 

39. By what principles should incentives to study be tested^ 

They should be continuous, and arise from the nature of 
the subject and the circumstances connected with learning. 

40. What incentives are often used to create ambition and 
interest! 

Prizes; merit-marks; emulation; fear of punishment; 
shame and ridicule. 

41. Should such artificial means be employed! 

Some condemn and some allow. One bad feature is 
that it often creates jealousies and ill-feelings. As an illus- 
tration, the author will mention a circumstance which 
occurred in 1872 while teaching a district school. The 
term was within two weeks of completion, and by request 
a class of thirty-two scholars was organized for spelling, 
each taking his place according to the number of a ticket 
drawn, there being thirty-two numbers. A record was kept 
of the position drawn and compared the last day with the 
position then held. The contest was exciting, as each was 
striving to hold his own and to get above his neighbor. 
The one drawing ticket No. i was a very poor speller, and 
day by day found her making her way toward the foot, 
until she was so near that position that school became 
unbearable, and she took her books home the day before 
the term was out. 

42. What are the proper incentives to study i 

The approbation of teacher, parents and friends; desire 
for an honorable position in the school and in society; the 
pleasure of overcoming difficulties; the gratification of 
curiosity; hope for success in life; enjoyment of knowledge, 
and prospect of future rewards. 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TEACHING. 531 

43. What are the objects of education^ 

The development of the faculties, the acquisition of 
knowledge and its wise application to the uses of life. 

44. What are the objects of recitation i 

To test knowledge, to acquire power of speech and of 
explanation, and the development of expression generally. 
It gives confidence and demands a careful study of the 
subject under discussion. It induces thought and quickens 
perception. 

45. How should the recitation be conducted! 

It should cover the general points in the lesson by brief 
and comprehensive statements, and the lesson preceding 
should be carefully reviewed. 

46. What is necessary for a good recitation ? 

Alive, intelligent teacher; recitation seats; black-boards; 
apparatus; reference books; a call bell; ventilation and 
proper temperature. 

47. What preparation should the teacher make for the reci- 
tation ? 

He should have a thorough knowledge of the subject, 
and depend upon a general discussion rather than on quot- 
ing the words of the book. 

48. How would you teach grammar? 

Of all studies grammar is most open to general explana- 
tion. Books should be used only as a source from which 
to draw knowledge or suggestion. No fixed plan of recita- 
tion should be followed. The elements of grammar should 
be given first and carefully illustrated. Definitions should 
be learned only as applied. There should be no rotation^ 
no fixed laws of advancement. Analyzing should be intro- 
duced as soon as we have asked the first question. We 
should teach from observations, simple at first, until the 
main principles are thoroughly comprehended. 



532 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK, 

49. How should geography be taught? 

Much as you would grammar. Give lessons which will 
compare one section of the earth or the country with 
another. It is not necessary to be confined to one book, 
as the same principles are embodied in all of them. Have 
a variation of topics. Call for the various productions of 
South America and the particular countries where each is 
produced. This is enough for one lesson. Better have a 
full knowledge of a little than fail in big attempts. Follow 
with other questions of interest concerning the same part 
of the world. The author once conducted a large class 
without a book for his reference, but in the class there were 
eight different geographies. The plan worked admirably, 
although a case of necessity. 

50. What is a good plan for studying history? 

On this subject the teacher should be thoroughly informed. 
He should map out the points of greatest interest, and as 
the class advances give the subdivisions. Do not be afraid 
to call up a subject at the beginning, the middle, or the 
end. Review is the great secret of success. 

5 1 . Why is it necessary to take exercise ? 

Because it conduces to health, strength, and the ability 
to study. 

52. Define school government. 

It is a proper organization of order, thought and action. 
It is the means of developing a love for study and improve- 
ment. 

53. Under what heads may school government be embraced? 
School ethics, retributions, legislation and administra= 

Sion. 

54. Define ethics. 

The science which treats of human rights and duties. 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TEACHING. 533 

55. To what does school ethics relate'^ 

To the rights and duties of persons connected with the 
school. 

56. Who are the important factors in the school? 

The teacher, the general school-officers, the communities 
that found and support schools, and the pupils. 

57. What may be considered some of the most important 
qualifications of the teacher "i 

Common sense, knowledge, teaching power, government, 
and love of the work. 

58. What may be considered the school-duties of pupils! 

Their duties to themselves, to one another, to the school 
property, to the teacher, to the school-officers, to visitors, 
to society, and to God. 

59. What is discipline ? 

A close or thorough application to some particular sub- 
ject or subjects. In school life the term is often applied 
to the correction of particular errors and faults. 

60. What are the general features of school government! 
Force, authority, and love. 

61. What may be considered proper penalties! 

Privation of recitations, of recess, or of position in class, 
reproof, reports to parents, suspension, expulsion, bodily 
punishment, withholding favors, special restrictions or re- 
quirements. 

62. What may be considered improper penalties! 

Threatening, scolding, asking for excuses, whipping in 
anger, compulsory study, and any physical or mental tor- 
ture beyond the absolute demand of the case. 



534 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

63. What actions of the teacher should be specially de^ 
nounced? 

Any sudden or violent action, as throwing rulers or 
slapping the head. Care should be taken not to punish 
for offences done beyond the jurisdiction of the school- 
yard, 

64. What should every teacher do 1 

Convince his pupils by his conduct that he is their friend; 
take special care that the school-house and appendages are 
kept in good order; be accurate, punctual, cheerful; study 
the art of aptly illustrating a difficult subject; teach hon- 
esty and morality, and strive at all times to win the esteem 
of his pupils. 

65. What errors should the teacher avoid? 

He should guard against prejudices; ride no "hobbies"; 
never lose patience while reasoning with parents; avoid 
wounding the feelings of a dull scholar; never compare 
one child with another; avoid making excuses to visitors; 
have nothing to do with other business in school hours; 
not attempt to teach too many things; not allow pupils to 
direct their own studies. 

66. What is good education ? 

The cultivation of the nobler sentiments of man; the art 
which commands understanding, that subdues his passions; 
that extends the power of reason and begets a pure con- 
science. 

67. What is teaching? 

The communication of knowledge — giving instruction 

68. What is learning? 

The acquisition of knowledge — being instructed. 
6g. Who will be successful in teaching? 
Those who can comprehend human character, who can 
control their passions, and who have a love of the work. 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TEACHING. 535 

70. Who will fail to be successful teachers? 

Those who teach because of the wages, and at the same 
time have their minds on other matters of business. A 
teacher must not divide his thoughts and feelings. Teach- 
ing is a business, or profession, that requires the whole 
response of the faculties and will admit of no delays or 
thoughtless acts. 

71. How are the faculties of the mind divided! 
Into the intellect, the sensibility and the will. 

72. What faculty comes first in the natural order of devel- 
opment! 

The intellect. 

73. How is the intellect developed! 
By the acquisition of knowledge. 

74. What are the sources of knowledge! 
The senses and the reason. 

75. What is empirical knowledge! 

The knowledge of experience, derived through the 
senses, which includes all we know by seeing, hearing, 
touching, tasting, smelling, and through the emotional 
feelings. 

76. What is that knowledge called which is derived through 
reason ! 

Rational knowledge. 

77. What does this knowledge include! 

All that comes from the power of study and thought. It 
is the development of the mind and understanding. 

78. What is the difference between teaching and talking! 

Teaching communicates knowledge by a course of rea- 
soning, while talk is familiar or unrestrained conversatioa 



536 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

7g. What is a remedy for whispering! 

Whispering usually originates from a lack of interest 
Produce a love for school and its advancement and whis- 
pering will be easily controlled. 

80. What benefits arise from the practice of music? 

Music softens the thoughts and inspires deep and sacred 
feelings. 

81. What are the purposes of examinations? 

To test the knowledge of the pupil and determine 
whether or not he has made real progress in his 
studies. 

82. What relation does the school hold to the state? 

It is the agent appointed by the state for preventing 
ignorance, raising the standard of moral and literary 
culture, and increasing the general prosperity. 

83. What conditions does teaching presuppose? 

A certain capacity on the part of the pupil, knowledge 
and skill on the part of the teacher, and information to 
be imparted and acquired. 

84. What are the practical points to be attained by an edu- 
cation ? 

It should induce each person to be more industrious, 
more ambitious, more trustworthy, more active and sys- 
tematic, more cheerful, more far-sighted, more economical 
as producers or preservers of property. 

85. What does educatioti do for a people? 

It tends to make them more orderly, more submissive to 
good laws, more independent in political thought, more - 
charitable and more refined, and creates a higher plane of 
t;ivilization. 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TEACHING, 537 

86. How should pupils be dealt with at the beginning oj 
iheir school experience! 

They should be received kindly, and every efifort made 
to obtain their confidence. 

87. How may we secure a full, prompt and regular attend- 
ance! 

By making the school-room pleasant and attractive; by 
preserving good order; by genuine interest on the part of 
the teacher. 

88. What benefits arise by reciting in concert! 

It stimulates the timid to overcome their diffidence; it 
cultivates the voice, and produces uniformity of expression. 

89. How should a word be pronounced for spelling^ 
Exactly as it should be pronounced in reading. 

90. What are some of the most common evils from which 
our schools suffer! 

Lack of interest on the part of parents and others con- 
cerned; frequent change of teachers; diversity of class- 
books; ill-qualified teachers; defective supervision. 

9 1 . What should form the foundation for a system of teach' 
ing! 

The capability of the pupil, the educational means to be 
employed, and the manner of performing the work. 

92. What is meant by language lessons! 

A simple means of expressing the fundamental principles 
of some line of knowledge. 

93. What is method! 

The way of performing an act. 

94. How many methods are there in teaching! 

Six: the text-book, oral, Socratic, topical, discussion and 
lecture methods. 



538 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

95. What is the Socratic method of instruction! 

A system of questioning by which the pupil is made to 
work out his own problems step by step. 

96. When should a pupil commit to memory? 

Not until the subject is thoroughly understood. If it 
cannot be understood it will be folly to commit it to 

memory. 

97. What is the great end of school training? 

Mental development; the direction of thought towards 
the practical pursuits of life; the dispersion of ignorance 
and superstition, and the encouragement of a better mode 
of living. 

98. Should a teacher confine himself to the text-book during 

recitation 7 

He should use the book as a guide for conducting the 
recitation, but under no consideration depend upon it for 
the interest of the exercise.. As a general rule, a book- 
teacher is an uninteresting human machine,. a mere tele- 
phone that only communicates what the sentences contain. 

99. How much review work is necessary? 

This cannot be measured. Review work is too impor- 
tant to be limited, and should be continued as much as 
circumstances will allow. 

1 00. How should your class be placed when reciting? 
They should be brought as closely together as possible, 

and in a position as convenient to the apparatus of the 
school-room as practicable. 

1 01. What should a person do who contemplates teaching 
for the first time? 

He should lay out plans in accordance with the best 
efforts which he can recall in his experience as a scholar, 
or from other observations. 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TEACHING. 539 

102. How do you classify the elements of pedagogics^ 
The physical, the intellectual, and the practical. 

103. What other names are sometimes applied to thest 
elements'! 

Gymnastics^ didactics, and pragmatics. 

104. Of what does gymnastics treats 

Of athletic exercises — the training of the muscular 
system. 

105. Of what does didactics treat 1 
The art or science of teaching. 

106. Of what does pragmatics treats 
The science of business. 

107. How is intelligence divided? 

Into perception, conception, and thinking. 

108. What is perception? 

The direction of the moral conduct; it is most sensitive 
in youth. 

109. What is conception? 

'The faculty of comprehending an idea. 

no. What is thinking? 

The faculty of calculation, of planning, of reasoning. 

HI. What are the elements of success in teaching? 

Executive power, self-control, thorough knowledge, and 
the faculty of imparting such knowledge. 

112. Should a pupil be required to report on his own 
conduct? 

He should not; it is a strong incentive to report incor- 
rectly and might lead to untruthfulness. 



540 COMMON SCHOOL QUESTION BOOK. 

113. What important branch of study is often 7ieglected in 
our schools ? 

Spelling. 

114. What common branches should receive special 
attention ? 

Reading, spelling, mental arithmetic, and writing. 

115. What constitutes good reading? 

A clear, distinct utterance, interspersed with proper 
emphasis and expression. 

'1 6. Why do you regard mental arithmetic as worthy of 
special attention ? 

Because it requires the use of language to demonstrate 
it; is a wholesome exercise for the mind; and it cultivates 
the memory in a practical and useful way. 

117. How should primary instruction be given? 
Largely by oral explanation. 

118. How should parents talk to their children in infancy 7 
Their language should be as simple and as correct as 

possible. They should not exaggerate or deceive. What- 
ever is said should be the unqualified truth. 

119. What is kindergarten instruction ? 

The teaching of young children by the use of objects, 
solids, surfaces and outlines. It is a method in which the 
eye conveys the idea, rather than the thought. 

120. What does the theory and practice of teaching embrace ? 
The whole science of education, training the mind, 

developing thought, and inducing mental activity. 

121. Give the names of some of the most important educa- 
tional reformers. 

Ascham, Montaigne, Ratich, Milton, Locke, Rousseau, 
Pcstalozzi, Arnold, Mann, Huxley, Spencer, and many 
others. 



THEORY AND PRACTICE OF TEACHING. 541 

122. What three things should the teacher inculcate in the 
pupil, both by precept and example? 

Neatness, accuracy and dispatch. By all means insist that 
their written work, whether on tablet or on blackboard, be 
neat; secondly, train them to be precisely accurate whether in 
the performance of a problem or in the diagramming of a 
sentence ; and lastly, teach them to work speedily. 



SOMETHING NEW 



Our book entitled A brief outlhste of teb 
BOOKS I HATE READ. Immediately upon public- 
ation it was adopted, at si{?ht, by scores of 
Literature teachers, who say it fills a niche hitherto 
unoccupied, and is a much needed device. 

We trust that the idea will appeal to you at a 
glance, whether as a layman for personal use» 
as a teacher desiring something for your class, or 
as a student wishing to keep a record of the books 
read in connection with his work. Everybody 
who reads intelligently knows the desirability of 
having a record in concise form and containing all 
the important points about a book, for handy 
reference at all times. 

If you are a teacher you will recognize its utility 
for each of your Literature pupils. The very fact 
of noting down the names of the characters, prin- 
cipal events and quotations, helps to impress them 
on the memory of the student, and renders them, 
easy to recall. ^ Furthermore, it will effect another 
result very much to be desired — that of causing 
books to be read with care and thoroughness. 
Besides, as a great time-saver in his studies the 
student will welcome it, if for no other reason. 
If you have a Literature class we shall be pleased, 
if you desire, it, to send you a copy for examin- 
ation with a view to adoption and are confident 
that you will find it all and more than we claim. 

Teachers who have tested this device, along with HOW TO 
STUDY LITERA TTIRE, as ciass books, assure us that their pupils 
benefit from eight to twelve added points in examinations. 



FLKXIBLE BOARDS — PfiCB 25 CciltS — BLANK BOOK STYLB 



HINDS, NOBLE & ELDREDGE, Publisliefs of ' 

How To Study Ifiterature, 75 cents 
Smyth's American lyiterature, 90 cents - 
Trimble's Handbook Bng-. and Amer. Literature, $1.30 

3i-33-35 West J5tli Street New Yorfc Oty 



A Brief Outline Of The 
BOOKS I HAVE READ 



FLEXIBLE BOARDS — PflCC 25 CcntS— BLAKK BOOK STYLE 



This device makes possible the keeping- of a 
systematic, uniform, concise and complete record of 
the books one reads. It will be eminently service- 
able to every book lover for recalling- impressions 
of books read; and it will be peculiarly practicable 
for teachers — to place in the hands of students for 
recordings and preserving- unpretentious analyses 
•of books read in class and in general reading-. Its 
xaany advantages are ia brief as follows;-" 

It is logical 

It is pedagogical 

It is simple, concise and complete 

It encourages systematic habits 

It economizes labor 

It encourages neatness 

It encourages self-activity, self-directioa 

It enables teachers to keep track of home "wotfc 

It develops thought, attention, discrimination 

it provides permanent data 

It will prove a boon to the directors of reading 
clubs, and to every member thereof! 

It assists the memory 

It -will develop the critical faculties 

It renders possible a desirable uniformity through- 
out the school 

It is inexpensive* 
It contains separate departm.ents for Fiction, 
Narrative, the Dram,a, for the Essay, and for Lyric 
Poetry; and the sub-divisions are so simple and 
obvious that the reading club director, or the 
teacher can tell at a g-lance whether the reading* 
lias been done attentively, intelligently and 
thoroughly. 

HINDS, NOBLE & ELDREDGE, Publishers of 

How To Stttdy Literature, 75 cents \ 

Smyth's American I/iterature. 90 cents 
Trimble's Handbook Eng-, aud Amer. Literature, $1.30 

3J-35-35 West J5th Street New York Citj 



'$ 



Revised and Enlarged 
5t2 Pages Price, $t£0 

The chief purpose of the New Normal Question Book 
is that of preparing teachers for examinations. The 
questions are so arranged as to bring out the vital and 
diflScult points of each subject. New Questions and 
Answers on Psychology and Pedagogy, also some Test 
Problems in Arithmetic, have been added. 

The Questions and Answers are by no means the a//- 
important features of the book. The Appendix of Out- 
lines on Map Drawing, Percentage, Analysis in Grammar, 
Theory and Practice of Teaching, Topic Lists and hints 
and suggestions on various other subjects, such as the 
preparation of manuscripts and rules and regulations to 
be observed during examinations, must prove a mine 
of treasure to the teacher. 

The book contains Questions and Answers on the fc^- 
lowing subjects: 

Arithmetic Civil Government 

Grammar English and American Literature 

Reading Psychology and Pedagogy 

United States History Theory and Practice (3 Teaching 

Physiology Orthography 

Physical Geography Test Problems 
MathcmaticalGeography Penmanship 

Political Geography Parliamentary Rules 

In order that the New Normal Question Book may 
find its way into the hands of every teacher and every 
school, we offer these special Club rates for introduction: 
Single copies, $1.50; two copies, $2.50; three copies, 
$3.50; four copies, $4.25 ; six copies, $6.00. Transpor- 
tation at our expense. Cash must accompany the order. 

We want one good agent in every county in the United 
States to sell these books. Write for our special terms to 
agents. Mention this advertisement. 

Nearly one hundred thousand copies have been sold 

Hinds, Noble & EHredgc, Publishers 

New York Qty 



I)idb Scbool Question Book 

By W. H. F. Henry 

Embracing the studies usually pursued ^n High 
Schools, Academies and Seminaries, and designed to aid 
students in preparing for college, and of especial value 
to teachers who are ambitious to secure a higher position 
in their chosen profession. 

The book contains over 5000 Questions and Answers 
on the following subjects: 

General Histof y Civil Government 

Englisli Literature Political Economy 

Astronomy Physical Geography 

Chemistry and 2^1ogy Algebra 

Geology Rhetoric 

Meteorology Geometry 

Natural Philosophy Descriptive Botany 

Physiology and Hygiene Psychology and Pedagogy 

To which have been added some helpful notes which 
teachers will appreciate in connection with their review 
work. Price, $1.50 (postpaid). 

Teachers or students desiring to purchase the High 
School Question Book, and either "Craig's New Common 
School Question Book " (over 192,000 copies sold) or 
" Sherrill's New Normal Question Book," (over 80,000 
copies sold) can secure the two books for $2.25 — if cash 
is sent with order — or the three Question Books for $3.00. 

As helps in preparing for examinations these Question 
Books with Answers will be of inestimable value. 

Please mention this special offer when you write us. 

Hinds. Noble & Eldredge^ Publishers 

New York City 



For Tea.chers a.nd Students 



Ce$$on$ Outlined 

in 

U. S. History^ Geography^ English Grammar 

Physiology and Arithmetic 

By G* Dallas Lind 

Author of " Best Methods of Teaching in Country 
Schools " 

Cloth, 224 pages. 200 Lessons. Regular price, $1.2^ 
{To Teachers, •$1.00) 



A Specimen Outline Lesson in U. S. History 

Outline Lesson LVH 

McKinley's Administration 

" The j>eace we hav* won is not a selfish truce of arms, 
but one whose conditions presage good to humanity.^ 

Explosion of the " Maine " 

Spanish- American War: — 

Dewey at Manila 

Sampson Bombards San Juan 

Sinking of the " Merrlmac" 

Schley Destroys Cervera's Fleet 

Stamp Tax 

Battles of El Caney and San Juan Hill 

Ponce Surrenders to General Miles 

Manila Captured 

Annexation of Hawaii 

Treaty of Peace Signed at Paris 

Peace Conference at the Hague 

War with the Philippine Insurgents 

See Montgomery' s, McMaster's, Lee^s or any other recent 
History of the United States. 

Have your pupils write a brief account of the 
Spanish-American War. 



Hinds, Noble & Eldredge ^ ^ New York City 



Written by a Successful 
Country Teacher 



Best 

Methods 

of 
Teaching 

in 

Country 

Schools 



By 

G. Dallas Lind 

Author of 

' 200 Lessons Outlini J.' 



List of Contents 

School Management 
The Teacher 

Moral Qualifications 

Mental Qualifications 

Physical Qualifications 

Scientific and Literary Qualifications. 

The Spirit of the Teacher 

Personal Habits 

In Relation to Patrons 

In Relation to Society 

In Relation to the Profession 

The School 

Preliminary Work 
Organizing 

Conducting Recitations 
Government 

The Schoolhouse 

School Architecture 

Apparatus 

Ventilation 

Best Methods of Teaching 

Reading 

Literature 

Spelling and Defining 

Penmanship 

Arithmetic 

English Grammar 

History 

Geography 

Anatomy, Physiology, and Hygiene 

Algebra and the Higher Mathematics 

The Natural Sciences 

Manual, or Constructive Work 

Morals and Manners 

Model Recitations 

Miscellaneous 

Hints and Helps for the Teacher 

Every amhituius country schoolteacher who 
is striving to raise the standard of her school 
•will derive inestitnaile value from this hook. 

Price to teachers, ^i.oo (re^rular price, ^1.25). 
Sent subject to approval. 

Hinds, Noble & Eldf edge, Pttblishers 

N. y. City 



'^^Lr?{:j 



Preston Papers 



A book brimming over with new thoughts— new ideas. 
A recital of actual schoolroom experiences in which all 
the common and uncommon Pedagogical difficulties are 
met and remedied. 

Written by a teacher of many years' experience whose 
heart and soul and life are absorbed in her work. 

It will stimulate you to renewed exertion. It is full o^ 
practical hints and suggestions which will help to solve 
the problems (not found in textbooks) which daily con- 
front and perplex the busy, conscientious teacher. 

It treats exhaustively of the important subjects of 

Government Environments 

Punishment Health 

Responsibility "Whispering 

Examinations Manners 

Prize Giving Dress 

Management Overwork 

It shows the best way to teach Geography, Grammar, 
Penmanship, Spelling, Reading, Primary Arithmetic, 
and Composition. 

It contains chapters on Teachers* Reports, the School 
Museum, and Teachers' Examinations. 

This book will help lighten teachers* labors. Reading 
Circles are introducing it in every State. Would you like 
to see a copy ? We will send it prepaid and allow you to 
return it if you wish to. 

Ptice to Teachers, $.80 {Regular Price, $i.odi* 

Hinds, Noble & Eldredge, Publishers 

New York Gty 



^ 



